Environmental Degradation and Landscape Management of the Nallamalai and Erramalai Hills of the Rayalaseema Region, Andhra Pradesh, India Using Geospatial Technology

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 150, 000 and Survey of India topographic sheets on scale 150, 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.