TIRUMALA, July 11, 2013: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) plans to grow the Sandalwood plantations form July in around 30 acres to have enough for many more years to come to perform rituals at Lord Balaji's as the sandalwood trees are endangered. 

If the actions plan to raise the plantations goes well TTD will have around Rs 10,000 crores worth sandalwood in another 15 years. TTD uses around 80 Kgs of sandal wood (Yearly one tonne). Sandalwood is applied to the main deity and processional deities in the sanctum sanctorum at the time of changing jewellery and in other Arjita sevas as well. It is also used in sacred Theertham of Lord. About 60,000 devotees take Srivari Theertham a day on an average. The number of devotees taking Theertham increases manifold during Brahmotsavams and other temple festivals. 

Anticipating the shortage of Sandalwood paste TTD purchased around 20 tonnes of sandalwood from Satyamangalam in Tamilnadu at a rate of Rs 57 lakhs per tonne in 2008. TTD at present has about 17 tonnes reserves which will be enough for next 10 to 15 years after which the availability of sandalwood is a big question mark even from the neighbouring districts like Tamilnadu and Karnataka. 

The sandal wood is stored in Govidaraja swami temple at Tirupati where it has cold storage facilities without the wet ness being lost. TTD also had technology in case of any fire accidents where immediately water will be thrown on to the sandalwood. 90 percent of sandal wood reserves in the country are available in Kuppam, Palamaneru, Punganur, Madanapalli of chittore district, Kolar, Hospet in Karnataka, and Sayamangalam forest area of Tamilnadu. As there is lot of demand for sandalwood perfume in Arab countries plantation were stolen in big numbers. Forest department also stopped growing the plantation even though Seshachalam ranges have abundant sandalwood seedlings, the smuggler menace is rampant . 

The factories where Sandalwood is used to convert into paste in Kuppam areas were also shut down ten years back. In this contest worried TTD started exploring the options to continue the tradition of applying the sandal wood paste to the main idol and distributing it to the devotees. TTD forest officer Venkata swami has studied the option past ten months gave a report that growing plantations is the only solution. Sources said TTD's then executive officer LV Subramanyam also given nod to this proposal. 

TTD forest department felt that Tirumala hills are suitable for cultivations. Officials selected Parveti Mandapam with 30 acres as ideal place. TTD made strict fencing around this area. Temple administration even approached Bangalore based institute of wood science technology to supply 16,000 plants. Forest officer Venkata swami said that the some plants have already grown little bit. Officials estimate that in normal course it will take 20 years to see complete tree, but in specific care conditions sandal wood tree will grow in 15 years. The rate of sandal wood reach around one lakh rupees at that time , each tree would fetch one crore worth sandal wood even if 10,000 trees are saved TTD will have that many crores.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 11, 2013.