Environment Ministry urged to intervene to prevent further damage to Erra Matti Dibbalu

Former Secretary to the Government of India, E.A.S. Sarma, has sought the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to depute an expert team to assess the environmental damage caused to the national geo-heritage site of Erra Matti Dibbalu, the rare natural formation of red sand dunes, close to the sea coast near Bheemunipatnam. The EMD consisted of an elaborate naturally formed rainwater drainage system, red sand dunes of environmentally fragile nature, and a fairly significant cover of vegetation. The team may comprise of a representative of the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, the Geological Survey of India, the local Conservator of Forests and the local chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage represented by its convener Rajasekhar Reddy, an eminent geologist familiar with the heritage value of the feature. MoEFCC may recover the full cost of the environmental damage from Bheemunipatnam Mutually Aided Co-operative Building Society and may also impose a deterrent penalty on the society for their brazen conduct.