Tiruamal Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) EO Sri MG Gopal on Wednesday evening elaborated to media in his camp office in Tirumala on the fire-fighting measures taken up by TTD to arrest the forest fires which engulfed vast area in Seshachalam ranges.
Here is the press release:TTD negotiated with Governor, Chief Secretary and Defence Ministry over the fire mishap which created menace in Tirumala ranges and took up immediate fire extinguishing measures.
Two MI-17 copters will reach Tirumala and do the aerial survey on Thursday morning and assess to what extent the fire mishap has destroyed the forest belt in Tirumala and also calculate mitigation measures.
The copters will drive water from KP dam and Gogarbham dams to prevent the fire, these copters will take aerial survey in the fire mishap area of the forest leaving of the "No Fly Zone" area of Tirumala temple abiding to the Agama rules.
As per the final reports reaching the forest fire (flame width about 300m) is moving in North-Eastern direction and so far about 400 hectares of forest cover burnt to ashes in this major mishap. However there is no threat to Tirumala and the pilgrims are appealed not to feel panic and they can have their pilgrimage to Tirumala.
Special team of fire extinguishing experts (disaster management) from Arakonam and Visakha Naval base will reach Tirumala and they will do their best to arrest the fire with chemicals and foam sprays.
A 24-hour control room will be operated from EO Camp Office in Tirumala with Tirumala JEO Sri KS Sreenivasa Raju, CVSO Sri G Srinivas, District Collector Sri Ramgopal and Tirupati Urban SP Sri Rajasekhara Babu closely monitoring the fire fighting activity.
The Wild Life DFO is also contacted to see that the fauna will not enter into the human habitation areas in Tirumala.
The shop keepers in the Papavinasanam area have been evacuated and shifted to safe places. EO complimented the staff and workers who tried their best to minimise the forest fire.
ISSUED BY TTDs PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TIRUPATI