TTD forms special fighting squads to prevent forest fires

With the day temperatures hovering at 40 degrees Celsius, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has taken up several initiatives to prevent forest fires.

As part of the initiatives, the TTD has set up fire fighting squads both at Tirumala and Tirupati and about 149 personnel shall work round the clock in different shifts.

At present, the TTD has about 2,750 hectares of forest land under its control. Fire lines with a width of about 10 and 20 metres have been drawn at select places to check the spread of forest fires.

Watch towers erected

Watch towers at a height of 40 feet have been set-up at eight vantage points at Tirumala and Tirupati to keep a constant vigil on the forest area to identify the fire in the initial stages. While the watch towers have been set up at Narayanagiri Hills, Kakulakonda, wind power plants and Chittekkudu (Gali gopuram) at Tirumala and at Nakkala vanka, Samidhula platlu, fuel depot and SV poor home at Tirupati. Two forest guards have been engaged for surveillance duty at each tower.

According to the TTD DFO Phani Kumar Naidu, the round-the-clock vigil will be maintained at important forest points like Narayanagiri Hills and Kakulakonda for their vulnerability to fire.

Equipment kept ready

In addition to these, massive blowers, fire engines have also been kept ready to meet exigency arising out of the situation.