Govt orders probe into digging at Yerramatti Dibbalu

Vijayawada: The state government ordered an inquiry into geo-heritage site Yerramatti Dibbalu in Visakhapatnam over allotment of lands near it to a housing society. It directed the Visakha district collector to conduct a probe and submit report.

It may be noted that 250 acre land was allotted at Yerramatti Dibbalu site to an housing society of Bheemunipatnam in the past. Visakhapatnam Jana Sena corporator Murthy Yadav complained to the state government that the lands allotted to the society were part of Yerramatti Dibbalu, a geo-heritage site, and urged the government to protect the site from encroachments.

Reacting to the demolition of Yerramatti Dibbalu, Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao directed the officials to stop the digging activity in heritage site immediately and form an expert committee to study the issue. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation is said to have issued a layout permission to the housing society.

On receiving complaints over increasing digging activity near Yerramatti Dibbalu geo-heritage site, the then district collector and joint collector visited the site and directed the officials to stop digging at the site.