The coastal red sand dunes or popularly known as Erramatti Dibbalu, near Bheemunipatnam, needs to be preserved for posterity as they contain a wealth of knowledge of the past, says Advisor to the Geo-Heritage Cell of INTACH and former professor of Geology, Andhra University, D. Rajasekhar Reddy. In tune with that, the GSI has declared it as Geo Heritage Site.
The unique natural formation was part of the continuous evolution of the earth since millions of years and it represents the late Quaternary Geological age, says the professor.
It is a unique geo-heritage site and only two such sites are present in the world -- one in Sri Lanka and the other in Chennai.
According to the professor, the Erramatti Dibbalu has seen both the glacial and the warm periods. The last glacial period is estimated to have occurred about 18,500 years ago.
“The site needs to be protected and conserved, as it contains a wealth of information that dates back to millions of years. Information regarding climatic shifts, local tectonics and the rise and fall of the sea level is recorded at the site,” says Prof. Rajasekhar.
According to him, an in-depth study of the dunes can reveal when the next glacial period would occur and what could the ecological and geological changes and most importantly how human intervention can delay the onset of the glacial period.
According to him, volcanic sediment recorded at Araku Valley is supposed to have been transported through wind from the volcanic eruption at Toba Island in Indonesia that occurred about 75,000 years ago.
All such sites should be converted into geo-heritage parks for their preservation, says Prof. Rajasekhar.