Vizag eco groups ask PK to save Erra Matti Dibbalu

VISAKHAPATNAM: The excessive mining of erra matti dibbalu in the port city of Visakhapatnam led to a public outcry on Tuesday, with environmentalists taking up the matter with the Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.

Prominent environmentalist and Jana Sena leader Satyanarayana Bolisetti, former bureaucrat E.A.S. Sharma and consultant Sohan Hatangadi have expressed their concerns on Twitter.

Escalated the matter to the Deputy CM, who also has the Environment and Forests portfolio, they asked Pawan Kalyan to take immediate action and prevent further damage to the red sand mounds in Visakhapatnam.

EAS Sharma additionally tagged tourism minister Kandula Durgesh, highlighting the constitutional obligation under Article 49 to protect not only the ancient erra matti dibbalu, but also other natural heritage and cultural sites in Visakhapatnam.

Sharma underlined that critical sites need to be safeguarded from urbanisation and encroachment in association with organisations like ASI and UNESCO.