The Erra Matti Dibbalu, a geological heritage site along the shores of the Bay of Bengal on Bheemili Beach Road in Vizag, is facing the threat of disintegration due to official apathy. Revenue officials halted the levelling of the ground at Erra Matti Dibbalu after environmental activists raised alarms. Videos of heavy machinery digging and levelling the red sand dunes went viral on social media. The ground was being prepared for the construction of a housing colony. Although revenue officials intervened and stopped the digging, the housing society involved maintained that it had obtained all the necessary permissions from the relevant departments for the housing development. Environmental activists argue that the issue has arisen due to the lack of clear demarcation of the protected geological heritage site's boundary. Despite being declared a geo-heritage site by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and a protected area by the Andhra Pradesh government, Erra Matti Dibbalu faces continuous encroachment and degradation. There are no warning sign boards for fencing around the site, leaving it vulnerable to further damage. The state government had allocated land to the Bheemunipatnam Mutually Aided Co-Operative Building Society Ltd, which subsequently obtained permission from the VMRDA for land development. Haragopal Rao B, president of the Bheemunipatnam co-operative society, stated that their society, consisting of 2,000 members, owns 373 acres of land near Erra Matti Dibbalu. Recognising the ecological sensitivity of the area, the society has set aside over 90 acres to protect the geo-heritage site and is developing a layout on the remaining 280 acres after obtaining the necessary permissions. The society paid six crore rupees to local bodies for the layout and expressed willingness to contribute to fencing the geo-heritage site if the boundaries are clearly marked. The Erra Matti Dibbalu red sand dunes are unique, found only in Vizag, Tamil Nadu (Teri sands), and Sri Lanka (red coastal sands). These formations, about 15,000 years old, consist of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay, formed from ancient sand blown from the beach to the land. Environmentalist Sohan Hattangadi emphasised the fragility of the red sand dunes and called on VMRDA to mark the boundaries, clearly designating the area as a geological heritage site and banning any construction or earth extraction. Social activist G Srinivas added that protecting Erra Matti Dibbalu is essential to preserve a piece of our planet?s history for future generations. He urged the Andhra Pradesh government to take immediate action, including designating Erra Matti Dibbalu as a protected area under national and state environmental laws to prevent construction or industrial activity in its vicinity. (Source: ET)