0105-B3
P. Krishnaiah 1 and V. Venkatramaiah 2
Tirumala, the abode of Lord Sri Venkateswara is located on the top of the sacred Seven Hills of Seshachalam Range. Tirumala-Tirupati being one of the most important pilgrimages in India, attracts 40,000 pilgrims per day on an average. People from most of the states of India as well as overseas come here and offer worship.
Not very long ago, the seven hills were endowed with dense vegetation with a variety of flora and fauna. The floristic composition of the forests vary from dry mixed deciduous to thorny scrub with occasional patches of dry evergreen growth in the valleys. The forests of the tract present considerable variation with altitude and these elevational variations naturally entail local variations in soil, moisture and climate and influence in turn the growth of the vegetation to some degree or the other. However the hills facing Tirupati town have steep slopes with rugged, rocky topography. In general the terrain of Tirumala area is hilly with steep slopes and deep gorges forming "Tirthams". About three centuries back it is stated that elephants used to roam in the Seshachalam forests. Tirumala Hills support a rich floristic wealth of about 1500 species belonging to 175 families. Apart from the famous Pterocarpus santalinus and Santalum album there are rare species endemic to these hills like Anduga (Boswellia ovalifolia), Mogi (Syzygium altern Tella karaka (Terminalia pallida), Tamba jalari (Shorea tumbuggaia) and Pereetha (Cycas beddomei). During the last century, however, this ecosystem was disturbed due to the human interference coupled with indiscriminate grazing by cattle and ravaging fires.
During the year 1980, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has prepared a bioaesthetic plan to improve the greenery in the forest under its control. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has taken up a massive afforestation programme and soil and moisture conservation works under bioaesthetic scheme as a sacred task for greening the sacred hills. Thanks to the sustained efforts of the management the TTD Forests are reclothed with luxurious vegetation now. However, the forest areas around TTD's enclosure which are under the control and management of forest department, are not so developed and barren and having a density of 0.2 to 0.3. As the results of re afforestation gave spectacular change in the microenvironment, it was felt that similar initiatives are required to improve the reserve forest areas around the TTD's enclosure. A project called Haritha was prepared during the year 2000 with a financial outlay of Rs. 1544 lakhs to improve the forests both with in the TTDs enclosure and surrounding reserve forest covering an area of 29,500 hectares.
Tirumala, the abode of Lord Sri Venkateswara is located on the top of the sacred Seven Hills of Seshachalam Range. Tirumala-Tirupati being one of the most important pilgrimages in India, attracts 40,000 pilgrims per day on an average. People from most of the states of India as well as overseas come here and offer worship.
Not very long ago, the seven hills were endowed with dense vegetation with a variety of flora and fauna. The floristic composition of the forests vary from dry mixed deciduous to thorny scrub with occasional patches of dry evergreen growth in the valleys. The forests of the tract present considerable variation with altitude and these elevational variations naturally entail local variations in soil, moisture and climate and influence in turn the growth of the vegetation to some degree or the other. However the hills facing Tirupati town have steep slopes with rugged, rocky topography. In general the terrain of Tirumala area is hilly with steep slopes and deep gorges forming "Tirthams". About three centuries back it is stated that elephants used to roam in the Seshachalam forests. Tirumala Hills support a rich floristic wealth of about 1500 species belonging to 175 families. Apart from the famous Pterocarpus santalinus and Santalum album there are rare species endemic to these hills like Anduga (Boswellia oval Mogi (Syzygium altern Tella karaka (Terminalia pallida), Tamba jalari (Shorea tumbuggaia) and Pereetha (Cycas beddomei). During the last century, however, this ecosystem was disturbed due to the human interference coupled with indiscriminate grazing by cattle and ravaging fires.
During the year 1980, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has prepared a bioaesthetic plan to improve the greenery in the forest under its control. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has taken up a massive afforestation programme and soil and moisture conservation works under bioaesthetic scheme as a sacred task for greening the sacred hills. Thanks to the sustained efforts of the management the TTD Forests are reclothed with luxurious vegetation now. However, the forest areas around TTD's enclosure which are under the control and management of forest department, are not so developed and barren and having a density of 0.2 to 0.3. As the results of re afforestation gave spectacular change in the microenvironment, it was felt that similar initiatives are required to improve the reserve forest areas around the TTD's enclosure. A project called Haritha was prepared during the year 2000 with a financial outlay of Rs. 1544 lakhs to improve the forests both with in the TTDs enclosure and surrounding reserve forest covering an area of 29,500 hectares.
The main objectives of Haritha project was conceived.
The total area under the Haritha Project is 29,500 Ha, which includes the enclosure of TTD and reserved forest. The project was conceived to be implemented in 3 years i.e., 2000-200 1 to 2002-2003. The components of this massive project are
The areas, which form a contiguous block with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams forest, are identified by the Forest department for further development. These areas fall under the administrative jurisdiction of the following agencies.
| Table 1 - Break up of area tackled by division wise |
| SI. NO. |
Division |
Area in ha |
1 |
i. D.FO. WLM, Chittoor East ii. D.FO. WLM. Tirupati iii. Curator, SVZP., Tirupati Total of APFD |
9,563.70 8,285.51 1,197.21 19,046.42 |
2 |
T.T.D. Forest Department Area |
10,463.81 |
Total Area |
29,510.23 | |
The forest wing of TTD and the forest department have taken up massive soil and moisture conservation works on ridge to valley concept covering all the gullies, streams, streamlets with a view to prevent soil erosion and conserve maximum amount of rain water and improve soil moisture status and recharge the ground water table. It involves the following Types of Works.
(i) Digging of contour trenches
Contour trenches of size 3mt x O.5mt x O.3Omt were dug on hill slopes as well as on degraded and barren hill slopes for soil and moisture conservation. The trenches break the slope into intervals and reduce the velocity of surface run off. The water retained in the trench helps in conserving the moisture and providing favourable sites for seed dibbling and planting.
(ii) Gully plugging works
1. Construction of rock fill dams
The rock fill dams are constructed with locally available stones and boulders along the gullies or small streams from ridge to valley in all the catchments. These are designed to retard the flow of water. These will also retain some quantity of sediments and moisture, which helps in establishing vegetation.
2. Construction of masonry check dams
Masonry check dams were constructed along the fault planes of different types of rock formations to arrest water flow and also to impound the maximum quantity of rainwater. Locations for construction of masonry check dams were identified by a team consisting of Geologists, Hydrologists, Engineers and Forest Officers.
3. Construction of chain-link check dams
Wherever velocity of water is more in the gullies rock fill dams wrapped with chain-link mesh were constructed along the nallahs in the interior areas where construction of masonry check dams are not possible.
4 Digging of percolation ponds
The percolation pond is a multipurpose conservation structure which depending upon its location and size, store water for recharging ground water as well as supply drinking water to wild animals. This is constructed by excavating or digging out a depression, thus forming an excavated reservoir or by constructing an embankment in the natural ravine to form an impounding type of a reservoir.
A committee was constituted to select suitable sites to take up various soil and moisture conservation works, consisting of Geologists, Hydrogeologists, Engineers and Forest Officers. Basing on the recommendations of the committee the soil and moisture conservation works were taken up.
So far 3,884 No. of rock fill dams, 89 No. of masonry check dams, 136 No. of chain-link check dams, 85 No. of percolation ponds, 13,00,000 RIVIT of staggered contour trenches, 80 Km. of peripheral trenches have been dug up.
In addition to the soil and moisture conservation works, under Haritha Project 65 lakh of plants have been planted. The species planted are Azadirachta indica, Syzygium cumini, Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia arjuna, Dendrocalamus strictus, Ficus bengalensis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus hispida, Ficus glomerata and Acacia species. Nursery stock is being raised in 12 nurseries in different sizes of polythene bags i.e., 5" x 9", 7" x 12", 10" x 16" and 14" x 20" polythene bags. Planting techniques followed are trench cum pit method, pitting method, ball of earth planting method. In order to conserve the moisture, trenches with the dimensions of 3mt x 0.5mt x 0.3mt are dug up and Slylosanthes hamata seed is broadcasted on the mounds of the trenches to improve the soil fertility and as fodder to wild animals, it also acts as soil binder. In each trench 3 No. of 30 cm cube pits were dug up and planting has been taken up. In plain areas 30 cm cube pits in Tirumala and 60 cm cube pits in Tirupati are dug up and planting has been taken up. To create green belt plantations all along the pilgrim routes, avenue plantations are raised by planting 2 mt tall ball of earth plants in 1 mt cube pits after refilling with imported red soil mixed with farm yard manure. In addition to the regular traditional planting seed dibbling is done by raking up the soil in the interior areas where the transportation of plants is very difficult. So far 40 metric tons of miscellaneous seed dibbled. Barren rocky areas, which are devoid of any vegetation are also covered with specialised tecimique by planting healthy tall plants of Ficus species like Ficus bengalensis, Ficus reliogiosa, Ficus glomerata, Ficus hispida etc., which are suitable in rocky areas in bituminous drums filled with red earth and farm yard manure in suitable points. Besides this some of the points are selected wherever crevices in the rocky patches, Ficus species are planted on the soil mounds supported with rough stone dry packing around the plants. It is giving excellent results and plants are putting good growth.
The impact of these planting works and soil and moisture conservation works is studied by APSRAC, Hyderabad. As per APSRAC report the impact of Haritha Project is given in Table 2.
| Table 2 - Haritha project impact on vegetation (as per APSRAC Map) |
Type of Forest |
Area in ha. |
Percentage of increase/decrease | |
1998 |
2000 | ||
Dense Forest |
19100 |
20100 |
+5.23 |
Moderate Forest |
3900 |
5840 |
+49.74 |
Sparse Forest |
4663 |
1777 |
-61.89 |
Barren and Stony area |
1414 |
1300 |
-8.06 |
Water bodies |
60 |
115 |
+91.66 |
Built up area and other area |
363 |
368 |
+1.37 |
Frequent annual fires occur in this area have resulted degradation of forest in this area. Under Haritha Project to control the fires 30 Km. of fire control barriers constructed and 150 Km. of fire lines are formed in this area. These fire lines and fire control barriers will help to prevent spread of fires from one area to another area and also in helps easy to control the fires as soon as the fires reaches the fire control barriers and fire lines. In addition to fire lines, fire control barriers effective communication system is established for immediate movement of the staff to the fire affected areas to control the fire. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has established central control rooms with wireless network both at Tirupati and Tirumala and 10 watch points are identified at elevated places and personnel with walkie talkie sets are positioned in these watch points round the clock. As soon as the information is received about fire, the fire protection party stationed at control room, which consists of 25 to 30 personnel, will immediately rush to the fire spot and control the fire by using local techniques.
| Table 3 - Statement showing incidence of fire accidents in T.T.D. forests |
SI.No. |
Year |
No.od incidents |
Area affected in ha. |
1 |
1990 |
40 |
121 |
2 |
1991 |
32 |
162 |
3 |
1992 |
28 |
129 |
4 |
1993 |
40 |
141 |
5 |
1994 |
51 |
162 |
6 |
1995 |
26 |
62 |
7 |
1996 |
18 |
50 |
8 |
1997 |
21 |
48 |
9 |
1998 |
16 |
33 |
10 |
1999 |
12 |
24 |
11 |
2000 |
10 |
18 |
12 |
2001 |
5 |
12 |
As per the ground water department reports during the year 2000-0 1 an amount of 3.16 million cubic metres of additional ground water recharge and during 2001-2002, 8.88 million cubic metres of additional ground water recharge has been observed. This is due to Soil and Moisture Conservation works taken up under Haritha Project.
As per APSRAC, Hyderabad there is 5.23% increase in dense forest, 49.74% increase in moderate forest and 91.66% increase in water bodies is observed. There is 61.89% and 8.06% decrease in sparse forest and barren, stony area respectively.
As a result of integrated fire management, fire occurrences have come down steeply over the last decade. As a result of these activities fire accidents come down from a maximum of 51 incidents to 10 incidents during 2000-200 1 and affected area has been reduced to a minimum of 18 hectare from a maximum of 162 hectare during the period when there were no fire lines, fire control barriers and other preventing and controlling activities.
Due to constant monitoring of area and controlling the fires by sending special staff resulted improvement of natural regeneration in this area. The regeneration of species like Anogeissus lat Chioroxylon swietenia, Shorea talura, Shorea tumbuggaia, Pterocarpus santalinus, Santalum album has improved tremendously.
1 Executive Officer, T.T. Devasthanams, Tirupati
2 Conservator of Forests, T.T. Devasthanams, Tirupati
*** Divisional Forest Officer, TTDS, Tirupati