International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 Environmental Degradation and Landscape Management of the Nallamalai and Erramalai Hills of the Rayalaseema Region, Andhra Pradesh, India Using Geospatial Technology
Kommu Somanna1, Mendu Sambasiva Rao2
1,2Dept. of Geography, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, India
Abstract: The Nallamalai and Erramalai hills of the Rayalaseema region posses rich biotic and mineral resources. They are formed of structural hills and cuesta hills enclosing the Kadapa and Kunderu valleys. They are also formed of Proterozoic formations consisting of shales, dolomite, limestone and quartzite. The Nallamalai hills raised to a height of about 600 to 900 meters above MSL and are covered with thick dry deciduous forests. The Erramalai hills range in height from 300 to 600 meters above MSL and are covered with scrubs and shrubs. The IRS IB Geo-coded data on scale 1:50,000 and Survey of India topographic sheets on scale 1:50,000 are used to map the ecologically disturbed zones in Nallamalai hills and land degradation due to over exploitation of mineral resources of the Erramalai hills. The intensity of soil removal, Sediment Yield Index and Erosion Index are worked out at sub-basin level and the environmental degraded zones are delineated. Based on the intensity of ecological and environmental degradation a few suggestions are made for better landscape management of the Erramalai and Nallamalai hills.
Keywords: Proterozoic, deciduous, ecologically, intensity, degraded.
1. Introduction 2. Study Area
Land degradation is defined as the land is subjected to The Nallamalai, Erramalai, Palakonda, Velikonda, Tirumala degradation processes by weathering and mass wasting and Seshachalam hills cover an area of about 51.142km2. naturally and degradation due to man‟s interference They are located in between 770 to 800 E. longitude and artificially. Erosion is a major part of land degradation which 130.30‟ to 160.20‟ N. latitude. The region enjoys dry sub involves detachment and transportation of soil. The natural humid climate and falls in the parts of Anantapuramu, erosion under balanced conditions of climate, land, water Chittoor, Y.S.R.Kadapa, Guntur, Kurnool, Mahaboob Nagar, forests and vegetative cover are responsible for weathering Nellore and Prakasham districts of Andhra Pradesh. and disintegration of rocks which decomposed organic matter which got deposited on the surface during the slow 3. Objectives process of soil formation. The top soil is the basis of preservation and growth of life on earth. Encroachments for The main objectives of the research paper are: cultivation, tree felling for firewood, small timber, forest 1) To describe the ecologically disturbed and degraded fires, uncontrolled grazing, construction of major dams pockets across rivers, roads and railway lines, urbanization and 2) To evaluate the Environmental Impacts Assessment and industrialization created ecological disturbances and paved a 3) To suggest remedial measures for eco-development and way for heavy soil loss in the hilly terrain. It has been Environmental management of the Nallamalai and estimated in India that out of 329 million hectares of land Erramalai hilly region. available about 150 million hectares of land is subjected to water or wind erosion. It is about 53.3% of the geographical 4. Methodology area of our country. The land is subjected to various erosion and land degradation problems like salinity, alkalinity, water The land resources of the Nallamalai and Erramalai hilly logging, ravenous and gully erosion, shifting cultivation and regions are evaluated based on studies from Survey of India desertification. It has also been estimated that sheet and rill topographic sheets on scale 1:50,000. IRS- IB False colour erosion takes place at the rate of 4 to 10 tons/ha/year in red composites on scale 1:250,000 and IRS-IB Geo-coded data soils 17 to 43 tons/ha/ year in black soils and 4 to 14 tons/ha/ on scale 1:50,000.The physical elements like relief, slope year in alluvial soils. Gully erosion has resulted soil loss of and drainage are studied from SOI topographic sheets. The about 33 tons/ha/year and hillside erosion in landslide areas land degradation and ecologically disturbed pockets are has resulted into soil loss of 80 tons/ha/year. In the recent demarcated from the study of IRS-IB Geo-coded data. The years annual soil erosion rates in India was estimated by [1] environmental impact assessment of the Nallamalai and as about 5.334 million tons or 16.35 tons/ha/year due to Erramalai hilly regions are assessed using ecological agriculture and associated activities. disturbances and ecological degradation, wood smuggling,
forest fires, soil erosion, mining, growth of mineral based
industries and urbanization following [3] method and
Volume 4 Issue 11, November 2015 www.ijsr.net Paper ID: NOV151126 Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 528 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 intensity of soil erosion [2] method, Sediment Yield Index Igukagundam, Akividu, J.P. Cheruveu, Gundlametu Project, and Erosion Index of the hills [6]. Sanjeevarayuni peta, malakonda peta, Nallaguntla, Pedda Dornla, Y.Cherlopalli, Chinna Manthanalla, 5. Physiography and Environmental Bodaswaralayam, Manigonda Palem, Tummalapalli, Degradation of the Nallamalai and Bhakrapeta and Tallkonda. The forest wealth is lost due to Erramalai Hilly Region, Andhra Pradesh, forest fires during summer period.
India The famous Lord Mallikrjuna and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi temple is located in Srisailam in the northern Physiographically the study area is divided into northern and Nallamalai hills. The piligrims visit this temple regularly. northeastern Nallamalai hills, central Erramalai hills, eastern The crowd of piligrims is very high during Mahasivarathri. Velikonda hills, southeastern Palakonda hills and Tirumala The temple was constructed during satavhana period. In view hills, southwestern Seshachalam hills, western uplands and of this famous temple the road transportation is well southern pediplain region. The altitude varies from 100 to developed from Dornala to Srisailam and Srisailam to 300 meters above MSL in uplands, pediplain region and Achampeta. The rapid development in transportation in Erramalai hills, 300 to 600 meters above MSL in Nallamalai and Tirumala hills has paved a way for wood Seshachalam, Palakonda, Velikonda, Tirumala and southern smuggling. The unscientific method of felling trees is Nallamalai hills and above 600 to 900 meters above MSL in leading to severe soil erosion. Ravine and gulley formations the northern Nallamalai hills and southeastern Tirumala hills. are very common in degraded forest pockets. On the other The major rivers drainage in Nallamalai and Erramalai hilly land on the southern sides of the Tirumala hills the world regions are Tungabhadra, Krishna and Pennar. The major famous Lord Venteswara temple is located of about 25 km tributaries are Hagari, Handri, Chtravathi, Papagni, from Tirupathi at an altitude of about 1,000 meters above Cheyyeru, Kunderu, and Sagiluru. Geologically the MSL. Lakhs of pilgrims visit this temple throughout the Nallamalai and Erramalai hilly regions are composed of year. The popularity of their famous temple has also paved Proterozoic formations consisting of Y.S.R.Kadapa and way for development of good roads in the Tirumala hills Kurnool series. They are formed of shales, quartzites, from Tirupathi to Tirumala. dolomites and limestone. The total reserved forest area of Nallamalai and Erramalai hilly regions is estimated to be 2 2 6. Mineral Resources and Land Degradation of 46,898.57 km . Out of this about 1,919.52km (4.09%) Nallamalai and Erramallai Hills reserved forest is located in Anantapuram district. 15,312.30 2 km (32.64%) is found in Y.S.R.Kadapa district, 23,759.22km2 (50.66%) is found in Kurnool district, Unlike wood smuggling in Nallamalai, Erramalai hills are 3.670.90km2 (7.83%) in Prakasham district and 2,236.63 km2 rich in mineral resources. The major minerals found are (4.78%) in Mahaboob Nagar district in Telangana state. The limestone, barytes, ochres, talc, clay, calcite, dolomite, type of forest is dry deciduous with scrubs. The tick forests steatite, copper, silica sand and iron ore. In Seshachalam hills are noticed in Nallamalai, Lankamallai, Palakonda, the steatite, barytes, limestone, asbestos and clays are found. Velikonda and Tirumala hills. In Palakonda hills the major minerals are ochres, clays and barites. The Mangampeta barytes is located near Raily Kodur The ecological degradation in the hilly terrain are taking possess about 74 billions of high grade barytes. About 2,000 place in the form of deforestation, construction of roads, new to 2,500 tons of barites are quarried daily. The limestone railway lines, power lines and major irrigation and hydro- deposits are present in Yerraguntla, Tadipatri and Erramalai electrical projects. Ecologically the northern part of hills. About ten cement based industries are established and Nallamalai hills are highly disturbed because of felling of they are quarrying about 5,000 tones of limestone daily. The teak plantations, back wood, bamboos and other fuel woods clay and napa slabs are quarried daily in and around by local people and wood smugglers. The red sandalwood is Tadipatri, Ankireddi palli, Jammalamadugu and being felled on a large scale in the Palakonda and Bethamcherla. There are about 250 polishing units Seshachalam hills. The development of good network of established in Bethamcherla, Dhone Ramapuram, transportation in the Nallamalai hills has paved a way for Cherlopalli, Palkur, Gorlagutta, Racherla, Nereducherla, smuggling of commercial wood. The hunting of animals in Tadipatri, Cherlopalli, Itikala, Chinatyala Palli, the Nallamalai hills by hunters is slowly reducing the Ankireddipalli and Jammalamadugu. About 10,000 tonnes of population of animals. It is estimated that 10 to 15% of forest clay and napa slabs are quarried daily. cover is lost due to illicit felling of trees by wood smugglers. In Nallamalai hills there are about 7,000 hectares of teak The granites in the recent years are being exported to other plantations, 62,000 hectares of black wood, 40,000 hectares countries. Black granites, pink granites and porphoritic of chinemani (Anogeisus Latifolia), 35,000 hectares of fuel granites are being exported from the villages of Beilakallu wood and 1,18,000 hectares of Bamboos. On an average the Rangapuram, Kapti and Krishnagiri. Lemon yellow and light Government of Andhra Pradesh is incurring a loss of 11/2 green serpentine along with white dolomite and various crores of rupees every year due to smuggling of wood. The shades of limestone are being used as chip stones. At present wood is smuggled to Markapuram, Nandyla, Kurnool, there are about 40 chipstone available at Valasala, Bhakrapet, Rajampet, Y.S.R.Kadapa, Badvel, Railway Malkapuram Rangapuram, Kothapalli and Bethamcherla. Kodur, Velgode, Allagadda, Narayanapuram, Ramavaram „Calc Tuja‟ a type of limestone useful in the manufacture of and Ahobilam. The places where the forest wealth is chemical, sugar and paper industries occur in Dhone, deteriorating are Vyyalawada, Diguvametta, Papineni palli, Banaganapalli, Koilakuntla, Nandikotkur and Nandyal Mandals. The resources of limestone in Erramalai hills are Volume 4 Issue 11, November 2015 www.ijsr.net Paper ID: NOV151126 Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 529 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 estimated to contain 3.7 million tones. A calcium carbide industries, calcium carbide, ceramic, slab cutting and plant and Rayalaseema paper mill are established basing on polishing, granite stone cutting, manufacture of clay mosaic the chemical grade limestone and bamboo plantation in chips and tiles, lime klimes, napa slab polishing, stone Nallamalai hills respectively. Besides this, large resources of cutting and polishing, steatitie based industry and talcum limestone are useful in cement industries. There are about ten powder. They are located in Kurnool, in between Bugganna cement plants creation in Tadipatri and Yerraguntla. Steatite palli and Dhone, in between Gooty and Tadipatri, Anantapur, is useful in soap industries. They are available at Pulivendla, Yerraguntla and Cuddapah. Muddavaram, Balapalapalli, Pendakal and Chandrapapalli of Dhone mandal of Kurnool District. Silica sand is found Due to over exploitation of mineral resources in an un- associated with Panyam Quartzites near Orvakal, Puricherla, scientific manner ecologically the Erramalai and Kalva and Kamarolu villages of Kurnool Mandal. It contains Seshachalam hills are very much disturbed leaving behind 99.62% of silica with less iron, which is suitable for glass artificial pits, soil erosion and ecological degradation. The industry. Quartz deposits are found in Gorantla and waste in quarrying of limestone, barites, asbestos, steatite, Haddapiri villages of Kodumur mandal and Kapirala village dolomite, napa slabs are dumped along the major road sides, of Pathikonda mandal. The quartz is suitable for manufacture mining sites in Ankiredddipalli, Managampet, Malkapuram, of silicon carbide, ferrosilicon, glass and sodium silicate. Dhone and Bethamcherla. In one of the sites of the Superior quality yellow ochre useful for the manufacture of Mangampet barites mining by the Andhra Pradesh Mineral paints and other domestic uses occur mostly near and around Development Corporation, it is found that there is continuous Bethamcherla, Veldurthy and Ramalakota villages of Dhone inflow of water into the mine and the A.P. Mineral mandal. At present yellow Ochre is utilised in ceramic tiles Development Corporation is incurring heavy expenditure to industry. drain out the water from the mining site. Similarly such problems are noticed in mining of limestone, steatite, Barites found near Hussainapuram, Valasala, dolomite, calcite areas. The underground mining of steatite Chinnamalkapura, Balapalapalli and Ahobilam villages of in Muttchkota and asbestos in Lingampalli are also Dhone and Allagadda mandals are useful in paint industry as generating the problem of underground water discharge. a filter and in the manufacture of barium chemicals. In Unscientific underground mining in Mutchpeta and Cuddapah district the large mineral resources of barites and Lingampalli may lead to land subsidence. Detailed asbestos have helped to establish three major cement units, geophysical, hydrogeological and tectonic study has to be four asbestos based crushing and screening units, twenty carried out in major mining sites to avoid land subsidence, barites based pulverizing units, fifty-eight slab cutting and underground water dischearge problem. In and around polishing units and twenty others which include shales, Dhone due to diffusion of brunt lime industry there is air chalk, crayon tiles, brick etc. these units are in Cuddapah pollution leading to many respiration diseases. Similarly in district. In all, there are 115 mineral based units exist in Yerraguntla the cement industries are also generating air Cuddapah district. The barites occur in Obulavari palli, pollution and dust pollution. In stone crushing, steatite based Cuddapah, Pulivendla, Badvel and Rajampet mandals. In industry and talcum powder air, noise and dust pollution are Managampet area of Obulavari palli mandal barites occur as noticed. bedded and massive type in the Pullampet formations of Cuddapah Super Group. About 102 mining leases are In Nallamalai and Erramalai hills and environs there are granted for the mining of barites in 2,865 acres. There are 14 about eight class I towns, six class II towns, seventeen class mining leases covering an extent of 3,124.34 acres for III towns and eight class IV towns. About thirty-nine towns mining of limestone in Cuddapah district which produces are noticed. In Nallamalai and Erramalai hills proper ten annually 2.3 million tones. There are 16 mining leases for towns are noticed. The urbanization in this area is not very exploitation of asbestos in an area of 2,056 acres. The annual rapid. Only in industrial towns like Kurnool, Dhone, production of the mineral is 2.3 million tones and the mineral Tadipatri, Anantapur, Pulivendla, Markapur and Cuddapah occurs mainly in Brahmanapalle and Vempalle dolomites. the level of pollution is high. However detailed studies have to be carried out in each township to understand the nature There are 8 mining leases granted in Anantapur district and effects of pollution. covering an area of 741.23 acres for barites. Steatite occurs in Seshachalam hills near Mustukota. The best variety (Lava 7. Environmental Impact Assessment of the grade) of steatite is being mined in and around Mustukota of Nallamalai and Erramalai Hills : Anantapur district. In total there are 132 units established for various mineral based industries like napa slab cutting and Based on location of mining area, degradation of forests, polishing units, cement products, abrasives, pulverizing intensity of soil removal, Sediment Yield Index, Erosion units, stone ware pipes, jars, chalk crayons, granite cutting Index, salinity, alkalinity, urbanization, industrialization, and polishing stone units, Magalore tiles and mosaic chips. intensity of environmental pollution and ecological Most of the slab cutting and cement units are situated near degradation the Environmental Impact Assessment Index has Tadipatri. From the study of mining areas it is found that the been evaluated adopting [3] method. From the more mining areas are located between Buggana Palli and Environmental Impact Assessment it is found that the E.I.A. Dhone in Erramalai hills, between Tadipatri and Pulivendla Index is very high in the mandals covering Erramalai and in Seshachalam hills, between Yerraguntla and Cuddapah Seshachalam hills. The E.I.A. Index is also high in the and barites mining in Mangampeta of Obulavari Palli mandal mandals where mining areas and mineral based industries are of Cuddapah district. The major mineral based industries are located. The E.I.A. is moderate in Nallamalai, Velikonda, brick industry, burnt lime, barites, pulverizes, cement Palakonda and Thirumala hills where ecological disturbances Volume 4 Issue 11, November 2015 www.ijsr.net Paper ID: NOV151126 Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 530 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 are loss to moderates. The E.I.A. Index is low in irrigated Ramavaram, Ahobhilam, Talakona and Bhakrapeta the forest areas, Kunderu valley, black soil plains, western mandals of resources are deteriorating at a faster rate. The Government Kurnool and Anantapur district. Further studies in depth at of Andhra Pradesh has issued an order on August 28, 1992 to micro watershed level have to be carried out in the area adopt the system of “Joint Forest Management” (JFM) to where the E.I.A. Index is high and very high. enable the local community to take part in foresting and benefiting by forest. The World Bank has given a soft loan of 8. Eco-Development and Landscape Rs.353.65 crores for the development of forests by identified Management of the Nallamalai and schemes. Under Joint Forest Management scheme the loan Erramalai Hills: was allotted to 1. Joint Forest Management stream (Rs.78.90 crores), 2. Joint Forest Management support (Rs.22.10
crores), 3. Production forestry (Rs.37.08 crores), 4. Social For a long time natural forest has been exploited, cleared and Forestry (Rs.35.69 crores), 5. Research (Rs.36.34 crores), 6. suffered by man-made damage and has gradually declined in Bio-diversity conservation (Rs.27.68 crores), 8. Management extent. It is estimated that in developing countries, forest are Information System and Geographical Information System disappearing at a rate of 15 - 20 million hectares per annum through satellite images (Rs.8.35 crores), 9. Forest Inventory [5]. At present levels of demand the remaining tropical forest (Rs.2.15 crores), 10. A.P. School of Forestry, Yellanadu will disappear in 60 to 80 years [4]. In India the activities of (Rs.0.78 crores), 11. Collaborative Fodder Programme man, on the whole, acted against the normal development (Rs.1.72 crores), 12. Tribal Development Plan (Rs.25.73 and succession of forest vegetation. crores) and 13. Andhra Forest Development Corporation (Rs.51.30 crores). About 105 Vana Samarakshana Samitis The main causes of forest destruction are 1. Shifting have been constituted through which local people are able to cultivation, 2. exploitation for charcoal and fire wood, 3. participate in the protection and fostering of the forests. intensive logging for veneer, saw timer and chip wood, 4. clearance for agriculture, 5. over grazing and gathering The Nallakalva Vana Rakshana Samithi in Atmakur mandal fodder for domestic animals, 6. forest fires, accidental or is turning out a good work. Some 22 Chenchu tribal families deliberate burning of forests, 7. urban and industrial have left their previous abode at Rudrakoda and settled at expansion and 8. ravages of war. Nallakalva in Atmakur mandal. The Chenchu tribals have been allotted 10 hectares in the reserve forest about 8 Km Pressures to exploit and clear forests have not stopped due away from Nallakalva in which they planted fruit bearing to continuing demand for quality hard woods for veneers and trees like guava, neredu and kunkudu. They tender these saw timer. Best quality mahogany, teak, black wood, rose trees and have the right to share the sale proceeds from these wood, red sandle wood and sapele come from old and mature trees. As it will be some years for yielding they are provided trees in natural forests. Demand for all forest products is alternate employment. They have been assigned 18 hectares rising especially for pulp and paper. High rates of population of patta land by the Revenue Department. The Chenchus increase will continue the pressure to settle on forestland ploughed the 18 hectares of land in June 1996 with a trench because of good crops obtained for the first few years after around the land to prevent animals like wild bores entering clearance. In many tropical countries 90 per cent of all wood the land and spoiling the crop. The land was brought under used is firewood for cooking and heating. Single trees, small Tribal development Plan as part of A.P. Forest Project. The woodlands and forest are all used for gathering firewood. 22 Chenchu families guard the forests from on slaughter Wood is not only burnt directly as firewood for house hold forests by wood smugglers. Such Joint Forest Management needs but much is gathered to make charcoal for both schemes have to be implemented in other parts of domestic and industrial use. Nallamalai, Erramalai, Palakonda and Thirumala hills besides careful water management and guarding of forests by The forests of Nalamalai and Erramalai hills are degraded at forest officials. Under Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam, wild life a rate of 10% to 15% per annum by the tribal population and sanctuary extensive programmes of eco-development at wood smugglers. The later are mainly responsible for rapid village level are being carried out under the dynamic deterioration of forests. The loss of forest cover seems to be stewardship of Project Officer. During the field checks the due to total negligence of duties of the forest officials, researchers have visited the eco-development villages and guards, watchers and beat gaurds. Therefore, the found fruitful results have been noticed in protection of Government should impose stringent measures to control the forests and wild life. Such eco-friendly villages have to be smuggling of teak wood, black wood, high quality saw encouraged in remote areas of the hills with the local timber and red sandle wood in the Nallamalai, Erramalai, Chenchu tribal people for protection of natural forests. Forest Palakonda, Thirumala, Velikonda and Seshachalam hills. plantation projects have to be taken in degraded forest areas Climatologically, the Nallamalai, Palakonda, Thirumala and to meet the growing demand of fuel wood and saw wood. Velikonda hills are favorable for forest growth due to good The National forest Policy of India has also laid down certain rainfall, humid and moist climate and water surplus. But, basic principles for proper management and conservation of unfortunately the forests of these hills have become major the forest resources of the country such as 1. Classification income generation of wood smugglers. In places like Isuka of forests according to functional aspects into protected Gunda, Bodeswaralaya, Uyyalavada, Diguvametta, forests, reserved forests and village forests. 2. Expansion of Papinaenipalli, Akiveedu, J.P. Cheruvu, Gundlamotu project, forest cover by planting trees in order to ameliorate the Sanjeevarayunipeta, malakonda peta, Nallaguntla, Pedda physical and climatic conditions for the welfare of the Dornala, Y. Cherlopalli, Chinna Manthanala, Marrigonda, people, 3. provision for ensuring progressive increasing Palem, Tummalapalli, Velgode, Narayanapuram, supplies of fodder for animals and timber for agricultural Volume 4 Issue 11, November 2015 www.ijsr.net Paper ID: NOV151126 Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 531 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 implements and firewood to local inhabitants nearer to the are also high in Yerraguntla due to development of cement forests. 4. opposition of rock less extension of agricultural industries. The diffusion of napa slab cutting and polishing land at the cost of forest land and 5. extension of forested industries in Tadipatri and Bethamcherla have generated area by massive plan of tree plantation on a large scale at noise pollution and stone crushing and pulversing industries war-footing so as to bring 33 per cent of country‟s area under have created dust pollution. Large scale mapping of available forest cover. Though there are strict guidelines from the mineral resources, industries, effects of land degradation and Government of India that forests should not be diverted to environmental problems have to be carried out for various non-forestry uses and in case, if the diversion of forested mineral based industries and appropriate measures and area to other forms of land uses is necessary and unavoidable suggestions have to be formulated to curb the ill effects of (such as construction of dams and reservoirs, installation of environmental pollution. industrial plants, construction of road, railway lines and houses). It should be done with the approval and concurrence Increasing concentration of population in urban centers and of the State Government and the loss of forests due to their origin and expansion of new urban centers due to industrial diversion to other proportionate areas. But this guideline is expansion and development are responsible for rapid rate of seldom followed. Recently, the Government has banned the exploitation of mineral resources and several types of cutting of green trees by the public without having prior environmental degradation and pollution. However, in permission from the Government. It appeared that directive Nallamalai and Erramalai hills the Urbanization process is principles and laws cannot guarantee safeguard of forests very slow and it is picking up due to development of mineral from their destruction and therefore, Government based industries and increased mining areas. The positive implemented the Joint Forest Management for the safe guard and negative effects of urbanization have to be studied for of forests. If this scheme is successfully implemented the each township developed in the Nallamalai and Erramalai dwindling of forest resources could be reduced to a large hills. extent and safeguard the natural ecosystem. Environmental management involves judicious and gainful The unscientific and unauthorized mining activities are utilization of natural resources for socio-economic taking place in Erramalai and Seshachalam hills. The mining development, maintenance of environmental quality by of dolomite, limestone, yellow ochre, steatite, calcite, clay, persuing ecological principles, separation of degraded land napa slabs, barites and asbestos in these hills are degrading and environment, to control environmental degradation and the land at a faster rate, leaving behind artificial pits. The pollution, to reduce the impacts of extreme events and unscientific underground mining of steatite in Mutchukota natural disasters, to make optimum utilization of natural and asbestos in Lingampalli may lead to land subsidence. resources by recycling and sensing waste material produced, Slumping is very commonly noticed in mining of dolomite, to assess the impacts of proposed projects and activities on calcite and ochre from the debris slopes of hills. The belt environment, to review and revise the existing technologies between Bungganapalli and Dhone is very much disturbed of production in terms of their adverse effects on the for mining activities. Illegal mining has to be curbed totally environment and to formulate laws and regulations for the by the A.P. State Mining and Mineral Development implementation of environmental protection and Corporation is incurring heavy expenditure to drain out the conservation programmes to maintain environmental quality. underground water from the mining pits. Similarly, the The components of environmental management includes five mining of napa slabs in and around Ankireddi palli, basic aspects namely environmental perception and public Tadipatri, Jammalamadugu and Bethamcherla has also left awareness, environmental education and training, deep artificial pits and paved a way for dumping waste. The management of resources, Environmental Impact waste is being dumped along the roadsides and in and around Assessment and control of environmental degradation and mining areas. Large scale mapping on 1: 25,000 a detailed pollution. The strategies of environmental management may study of hydro-geological conditions, effects of land be formulated through spatial and methodological degradation and Environmental Impact Assessment has to be considerations. Environmental management may be carried out for each mining area in the Erramalai and approached local, regional, state, national or international Seshachalam hills to bring out environmental implications levels and the management strategies may be chalked out on and to suggest appropriate measures to minimize land the basis of needs, aspirations, perceptions, priorities and degradation. inhibitions of the individuals, society and Government. The conservationist approach to environmental management is to Due to availability of rich mineral resources in Erramalai and restrict and minimize the adverse effects of human activities Seshachalam hills a number of mineral based industries have during utilization of natural resources on environment and to been developed in between Bugganapalli and Dhone, optimize the productivity of natural environmental Jammalamadugu and Cuddapah, Gooty and Tadipatri, ecosystem by adopting environmentally safe technologies. around Anantapur and Pulivendla. No doubt rapid rate of The fundamental ecological issues to be considered for industrial development has given economic prosperity to environmental management include components, dynamics human society, new dimension to socio-economic structure of biospheric ecosystems, form, function and equilibrium of and provided material comforts but has also created manifold ecosystems, ecological changes through time and space, environmental problems. A detailed study on various exploitation and utilization of ecological resources and problems of environment has to be carried out in each site of impact of human activities on environment leading to industrial units. It has been found due to burn lime industries environmental degradation and pollution. In continuation, diffused in a valley near Dhone has generated air pollution studies could be carried out village levels to map the areas leading to respiratory infections. The effects of air pollution effected due to land degradation, their ill effects and suggest Volume 4 Issue 11, November 2015 www.ijsr.net Paper ID: NOV151126 Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 532 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 appropriate measures for optimum utilization, conservation and eco-development of villages in Nallamalai and Erramalai hills.
9. Conclusion
The ecologically degraded zones are mapped from IRS IB Geo-coded data on scale 1:50,000. It is found that the Erramalai hills are subjected to rapid erosions metal degradation due to over exploitation of mineral resources. The degradation in the Nallamalai hills is due to illicit deforestation.
References
[1] V.V. Dhrva Narayan, G. Sastry, Rambabu, “Conservation in a quarter of the catchment reduces sediment production by half,” Indian Journal of Soil conservation. 9 (2&3), 1985. [2] E.M. Flxman, “ Soil Conservation Service, Technical Service Centre Advisory Enf. Po-1 Sediment Yield Predictive Equation,” 1971. [3] C.L. Jenkins, “Environmental considerations in Tourism Development,” Indian Journal of Tourism and Management, Vol.1. No.2, pp. 143-163, 1992. [4] T.S. Spears, “ Can wet Tropical Forests Survive Common wealth Forest Review 58,” pp 165-180, 1979. [5] World Bank, “ Forestry,” Sector Policy Paper World Bank, Washington, 1978. [6] D. Zacher, “ Soil erosion,” Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, New York, 1982.
Author Profile
Prof. M. Sambasiva Rao, Dept. of Geography, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh – 515003.
Dr. K. Somanna, Post Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Geography, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh – 515003.
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