Manager-EIA, M/s Envision Enviro Engineers Pvt. Ltd., 208 G-Tower,  Shankeshwar Complex, Above Girish Group of Hospital, Sagrampura Surat-395002, Gujarat (India)

 The variety and variability of organisms and ecosystems is referred to as biological diversity or Biodiversity. Biodiversity is a term which has gained enormous importance in the past few years. Technically, it is a contraction of biological diversity. Biological diversity is defined as the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. Ecological impact assessment (EcIA) is used to predict and evaluate the impacts of development activities on ecosystems and their components, thereby providing the information needed to ensure that ecological issues are given full and proper consideration in project planning stage itself. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) has emerged as a key to sustainable development by integrating social, economic and environmental issues in many countries. The baseline study for the evaluation of the floral and faunal biodiversity of the terrestrial environment of the study area was carried out within 10 Km radius of the proposed incineration plant planning to be established in the existing premises of an abandoned industrial unit of Sachin GIDC in Surat district, Gujarat during January, 2^nd and 5^th, 2014. The study concludes that the study area has diverse flora and fauna but it is becoming progressively worse by industrial development in the surrounding vicinity. Due to the industrial development in Sachin, the surrounding area has been polluted with waste water which can be seen on floral diversity. Some trees have been dried. The rare trees Adansonia digitata represent the rich floral diversity of the area. There is a need of special attention to protect all the rare trees and fauna by the authority.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Conservation; Ecological Impact Assessment; Pavo cristatus.