Leopards in Tirumala: TTD to make Alipiri footpath ‘No Leopard Zone’

Amid increased movement of wild cats along footpaths and ghat roads in Tirumala, the TTD is making efforts to ensure safety of devotees along the Alipiri footpath route.

Hyderabad: In the wake of increased movement of wild cats along footpaths and ghat roads in Tirumala in the recent times, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to make use of more safety gadgets and ensure that Alipiri footpath becomes a ‘No Leopard Zone”.

Intensified surveillance is to be initiated from the seventh mile to the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple located on the 2.5-km stretch area along the Alipiri footpath route on the ghat road.

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A review meeting was conducted on human-animal conflict in Tirumala on Tuesday, during which it was decided to use more gadgets including camera traps, bio-fences, net-guns, high flash torches, smart sticks, pepper sprays and others.

TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao, who participated virtually, along with Additional EO Ch Venkaiah Chowdary and TTD Forest, State Forest and other stakeholders, discussed the measures to be adopted for tackling the issue effectively with short term and long term plans.

Accordingly, it was discussed to deploy additional forces and ensure timely garbage management all along the Alipiri footpath route. A joint drive involving officials from Forest, Revenue and Panchayat Raj, Health and Vigilance departments of TTD with the support of the State Forest department would be taken up regularly all along the footpath route.

It was decided to rope in the Wild Life Institute of India and the State Forest department to assist TTD in preparing short-term and long-term measures to overcome the human-animal conflict. The meeting also decided to impose restrictions on shopkeepers and to sensitise them not to sell prohibited eatables.