We Need to Start Making Decisions

We are used to heavy deluges as Tiruvannamalai lies within a monsoon area . . . which means we get about 95% of our annual rain in 6 weeks. However things have deteriorated in the last 10 years, as man's greed impels him to build without regard to tried and tested methods of harnessing flood waters. 

Hundreds of years ago people of this place devised brilliant systems of catchment areas, canals, and massive holding tanks which would hold and conserve much of the monsoon rains and then evenly distribute those waters throughout the area over the hot summer months. Unfortunately many of those massive water holding tanks are not being properly maintained, canals are being blocked/diverted and water catchment area are undergoing industrial level sand quarrying in the dry season . . . all of which results in uncontrolled flooding during the monsoon. 

A recent Court Judgement regarding the widening of the Girivalam Roadway dealt with some of the ecological problems that financial interests are creating in this area. 

The below photographs were taken in the dry season and are of the once beautiful pristine Samudra Eri (around 650 acres) which is the largest water catchment area adjacent to Arunachala. 

To read more fully about the desecration of Holy Arunachala  in this Kali Age, go to my earlier posting at this link here. 

The once pristine Samudram Eri undergoing industrial level sand quarrying

Decisions need to be made about the man-made problems we are creating in the area

The whole 650 acres is pock-marked by sand-quarrying of up to 40 feet in depth

Morning walk under Arunachala's Loving Eyes

Even though there is ongoing development throughout the Tiruvannamalai area, still some lovely spots exist in which one can relax and enjoy. The bottom photographs are of a morning's excursion with my doggies at the Samudram Eri. As previously mentioned in many earlier postings, over the last eight years industrial level sand quarrying is being undertaken in many areas of the 750 acre Eri. 

About a month ago a halt was made to the sand quarrying, whether this is a temporary or permanent halt, only time will tell. But the halt has already been long enough for life to calm down after years of continuous noise and noxious fumes from the many sand diggers and heavy truck earth movers that have been infesting the Eri. So lets just enjoy the peace and see what happens. 

Nearby State Reserve Forest adjacent to the Eri

Acres of undisturbed Reserve lands

Artifical lakes have been created by the sand digging which are now hugely popular with both domestic and migratory birds

Fabulous Banyan Tree on Bund of Arunachala Eri

My little Holly lost in all the greenery

Magnificient darshan of Holy Arunachala

Darshan of the Arunachaleswarar Temple's Raja Gopuram bottom of Hill slope

Numerous artifical lakes and ponds have created by sand exacuvations. My doggie Max having a leisurely swim!

Parvathamalai Hill in background. Hope to be visiting and performing the 25 km girivalm soon. Will post photos

Large number of Fork Tail Kites on the Eri in the mornings

White doggie Max, black doggie Winnie, manoeuvring for stick rights!

Side of Eri: Preparing fields in the old fashioned way for Paddy planting!!!

Water Problem at Samudram Eri

Tamil Nadu is likely to face a severe water crisis in the next half century. According to experts, what will contribute to the crisis is the fast-depleting groundwater table, and the increasing pollution of water sources. The crisis in the making in Tamil Nadu would be as much about the quality of water available as its shrinking availability. Experts want Tamil Nadu to reduce its dependence on water from neighbouring States and formulate alternative plans. 

As well as the concern that many rivers are already badly polluted in the State, another area of concern is the general over-exploitation of groundwater. According to experts, too many farmers are cultivating water-intensive crops and are indiscriminately exploiting groundwater for irrigation, which has led to a steep fall in the water table. In this respect agriculture accounts for 85-90% of the total use of water in the State. Even by the judicious planting of less water intensive crops and gaining a 10% reduction in the agricultural sector, would considerably ease the impending water shortage situation. 

To read an excellent and comprehensive report on the Tamil Nadu water problem please go to this link here. 

Encouragingly at this time the Madras High Court has recently stayed 'in-stream' sand mining and mining using machinery at 18 quarry sites in Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli and Karur districts. The Justices of the Bench while banning in-stream mining in their order, allowed that manual labourers could be used to mine the sand. 

It said the Tamil Nadu government, which had allowed four quarries to operate in March, should follow the Environment Ministry's guidelines in all quarries and not use machinery. It was pointed out that Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments were not allowing mining of sand with machines and had also banned in-stream mining. 

It is heartening that serious steps are being taken to address the water scarcity in Tamil Nadu. But it is important that we here in this Shiva Sthalam take the necessary steps to secure the future for ourselves and our community. 

Tiruvannamalai is a drought area, it has no river or natural water supply and depends almost entirely on the monsoon rains to replenish its ground water. Around the town of Tiruvannamalai are a number of reservoirs and holding tanks, of which the Samudram Eri is one of the largest and most important (approximately 750 acres). During the monsoon, water channels divert rain falling on the Hill into the Samudram, which very quickly turns into a deep lake. As is required the water being held in the natural reservoir is thereafter pumped into the town’s holding tanks. 

With the rapid urbanisation of Tiruvannamalai and fierce competition between developers, many of the channels diverting monsoon rain into the Samudram have been closed up. Water tanks have been filled in, so that land can be rezoned and sold by the parcel, trees have been cut down and vegetation destroyed. 

Government of India websites are supplying us with good information about how to combat desertification. View original narrative at this link here: 

Combating Desertification 

"Land degradation has far-reaching consequences that affect many realms of life, sometimes far away, but land is above all a powerful element of the solution to the major challenges of our time. The major process of land degradation is soil erosion (due to water and wind erosion), contributing to over 71% of the land degradation in the country. Soil erosion due to water alone contributes to about 61.7% and that by wind erosion 10.24%. The other processes include problems of water logging, salinity-alkalinity. 

Land degradation results in soil erosion, decline in water table, reduced agricultural productivity, loss of bio-diversity, decline in groundwater and availability of water in the affected regions. All these affect the lives and livelihoods of the populations, often eventually precipitating forced migration and socio-economic conflicts. 

Unsustainable resource management practices are often induced by population pressures and poverty. People affected by desertification often need to draw on their limited assets in order to survive, which accentuates their poverty. This constitutes a vicious cycle linking deteriorating natural resources to deteriorating livelihoods as people need to encroach further on fragile soils, sparse vegetation and limited water resources to meet their basic needs for food, shelter and livelihood. 

As per the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India published by the Space Application Centre in 2007, about 32.07 % of the land is undergoing various forms of degradation and 25% of the geographical area is affected by desertification. About 69% of the country’s lands are dry lands and degradation of these lands has severe implications for the livelihood and food security of millions."

****************************************

However it seems that in Tiruvannamalai, we are doing everything in our power not to combat desertification but to accelerate it. 

In this narrative, “Water Problem at Samudram Eri” I have posted “before” (around 2011) and “after” photographs of the current condition of our major water reservoir, the Samudram Eri where industrial level sand quarrying continues often for 24 hours a day with a plethora of heavy machinery. 

2011 and Before

Samudram Eri in dry season

Open area used extensively for grazing livestock

Samudram at beginning of rains

Thorny trees primary vegetation, can survive easily in flooded lake

Pristine Samudram beautiful homage to Arunachala

Current. April 2014

Samudram being mined by a plethora of heavy machinery

Already the area is looking like moon craters

This is the major water reservoir for Tiruvannamalai -- what could possibly go wrong?

Appropriate for 2014, Homage of capitalism and materialism to Arunachala!!!

For many years I lived in a “dry” house (i.e. one that had no independent source of water) so I am aware of the complications in not having water "on tap". What is currently occuring at the Samudram Eri is disturbing. What needs to happen is:

(1) STOP immediately all sand quarrying. 

(2) Reopen old water channels from Arunachala to the reservoir 

(3) Desilt and clean existing water channels 

(4) Plant trees and curb the further cutting of existing trees around the Eri Bund. 

(5) Ban the closing up of agricultural water tanks in the area around the Eri. 

(6) Increase vegetation around the Eri. 

Epic Fail

Throughout the recorded history of Tiruvannamalai, rulers and emperors viewed Arunachala and the surrounding countryside as the crown jewel of their kingdom. Compare that attitude with the current one of disrespect and commercial opportunism. We are now in the Kali Yuga and even at the most powerful seat of Lord Shiva, the ultimate ruler in the eyes of most is money.

The Samudram is an essential feature of the area as it collects water running off Arunachala during the monsoon. In rainy years the 750 acre Samudram will be full for 5-6 months. For the rest of the time the area is dry and supports a myriad selection of wildlife including mongoose, monkey colonies, foxes, and rabbits.

Arunachala Samudram, the largest water reservoir in Tiruvannamalai, until recent times was maintained perfectly and with veneration. But now the area is being quickly destroyed; the topsoil of the Samudram being removed by the truckload and sold on nearby construction areas and pretty walkways on the top of the embankment with its surrounding forest of indigenous trees, has already been mostly destroyed in preparation for a bypass road. And this area is classified a ‘protected one’. But when it comes to a quick profit, 'protected areas' get quickly and quietly re-designated.

Compare the photographs in the before and after photographs of the walkway and area surrounding the Arunachala Samudram embankment.

Samudram Embankment Before Development

Samudram Embankment After Development

Not only has the whole area been devastated in order that a bypass road can be created by joining the housing projects (to be built) at the back of the Samudram with Perubakkam Road at the Arts College on Chengham Road, but the work itself is an Epic Fail. One heavy rainy season and the whole road will be washed away. Even the labourers who worked on this project are mystified. 

Kali Age

In Hinduism it is believed that the Yuga we are currently living in, i.e. the Kali Yuga is the last of four Yugas and at the end of each Kali Yuga there is pralaya, a period of dissolution and destruction.

The Vishnu Purana details the attributes of man and society during the Kali Yuga:

“The Kali Yuga is supposed to be a time in which he, who will distribute immense wealth, will be considered as master of men. Accumulated wealth will be spent on ostentatious dwellings.

The minds of men will be wholly occupied with earning money and that will be spent on the gratification of selfish desires. Women will follow their own inclinations and will be given up to pleasure seeking. Men will endeavour to acquire riches even dishonestly. No man will part with the smallest fraction of his wealth at the sacrifice of his own interest even when requested by his friends.

In the Kali Yuga everyone, possessing vehicles and elephants and horses, will be a Raja; anyone who is feeble will be a slave. In the Kali Yuga, cows will be held in reverence only because they supply milk. People will be subject to all sorts of infirmities of mind, speech and body which will result in all manner of sins being committed and great viciousness taking place in society.”
[Vishnu Purana]

"In the Kali Yuga, less than one-fourth of the normal amount of righteousness remains in the world. Everything is in flux and always changing. But, the texts say that Kali Yuga is the best of all ages because it is the age in which everyone, regardless of caste or karma, can realise God. The problem is, most people are so overcome by Maya that they have no desire to know God.

Kali Yuga eventually develops into GHORA ('terrible') Kali Yuga, when things get really bad in the world, at which point the gutters are overflowing with filth. Nature then cleans out the gutters, by whatever means She sees fit to use, and Satya Yuga begins again."
[Robert Svoboda]

My experience of the world combined with my intuition makes me accept unequivocally the predictions of the Kali Yuga as set out in the Vishnu Purana. I totally believe that the world is caught in a stranglehold of greed and adharma.







There was a time at Arunachala, the premier Shiva site in all of India, that devotees would come to laud and worship the great Lord Shiva by digging tanks and wells and creating flower gardens for the Lord’s enjoyment. And now for the sake of a few paisa, tanks and wells are being filled so that land sellers can extend their land by a few square feet to sell off as plots. Trees are being cut down in order that new roads be created through reserve forests populated by Arunachala wildlife. And the earth of natural reservoirs lakes such as Arunachala Samudram (and many others around the Hill) are being disembowelled and degraded so that a very few can make a fortune selling off the sand for house building.






How have we come to this? How is that Tirupathi is able to create a spiritual centre which is clean, organised and safe and yet (if that’s what your interested in) be the most financially lucrative spiritual centre in all India – and we at Arunachala are daily witnessing the accelerated degradation of land surrounding the Hill? Those that come for girivalam, climb the Hill, or even just move about the town, known only too well of the increasingly denuded area and of the dirt and plastic refuse filth throughout Tiruvannamalai.

I can only write what I know about, and in this respect a very few years back, Arunachala Samudram was pristine clean and unmarked by the ravages of sand diggers and tractors. Locals would come and cut down acacia bushes to use as fuel, but would also take care to plant trees to replace that which they took. Nights on the Samudram would be silent and blessed – just as things should be during night in the countryside.














And now, increasingly as new buildings are being built in Tiruvannamalai, both locals and land developers are using the reservoir as a dump. Giant holes, some already 30 feet deep are appearing randomnly throughout the lake bed as a result of sand quarrying. And noise and fuel smoke is constant day and night as trucks and land diggers take their loads of Samudram earth to sell to local builders. During the rainy season when these huge artificial holes fill with rainwater, in the stealth of night and early morning huge vehicles come and pump out untreated human waste taken from the septic tanks in nearby homes.

I believe that we are better than this, that the majority of people living at Tiruvannamalai are devotees of the great Lord Shiva and that with cooperation from NGOs that officials and government would be eager to participate in helping to create a Tiruvannamalai that would be the crown jewel of South India.






Conservation, intelligence, planning, ecology are words that help create a beautiful environment, and it is this that would add true wealth to each of us.

Happily great emphasis is nowadays being placed on the reforestation of Arunachala, however attention also needs to be focussed on the great swathes of agricultural land surrounding the sacred Hill. Over the last few hundred years as Arunachala was denuded of its natural vegetation, so too surrounding land was stripped of natural plant life in order to support intensive farming with crop cultivation up to four times a year. Some of these farms have already been sold to property developers for densely packed housing estates, and undoubtedly this trend will escalate over the coming years.

In this respect there is a need to create and maintain sanctuaries around Arunachala providing safe haven for birds and other wildlife, thereby adding to the rich diversity of life around the sacred Hill. The jewel of these sanctuaries should be the 600 acre Arunachala Samudram as its so perfectly placed at the very foot of the Hill.







Even a huge city like New York understands the importance of beauty and nature in the midst of urban sprawl and their 770 acres Central Park is maintained by the Central Park Conservancy, a private, not for profit organization under a contract with New York City. Incidentally the real estate value of Central Park was estimated by the property appraisal firm, Miller Samuel, to be $528,783,552,000 in December 2005.

So if New York, can forgo dipping their hands into the kitty for the sake of the community, I think we at the sthala of Lord Shiva can do MUCH better.

Extensive Sand Quarrying

And so it starts:


To fuel the housing and development boom throughout Tiruvannamalai District, areas such as the lake bed of Samudram Erie are being extensively quarried for sand. Recently a test court case was brought attempting to restrain the Public Works Department (PWD) from using machineries like Poclains and JCBs in connection with quarrying sand in the Palar riverbed in Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai Districts.

Unfortunately lobbyists for the construction trade have won the day and an interim stay order from the Court will now allow extensive sand quarrying in Tiruvannamalai District aided by the use of heavy quarrying equipment and vehicles.

It seems like this would be a good time for conservationists to start prioritising their agenda and instead of spending so much time and energy in the reforestation of the slopes of Arunachala Hill and surrounding area, concentrate on trying to protect what already exists from further debasement.

Ironically, in the long term those interested in making money in Tiruvannamalai would find it much more lucrative concentrating on creating ecological and tourist friendly zones, like bird and animal sanctuaries, rather than use the area as a limitless building resource.