Geological Survey of India (GSI) has approved the setting up of a geopark in Madhya Pradesh, the country’s first. The park will be set up at Lamheta village on the banks of river Narmada, Jabalpur district.
What is a Geopark?
According to UNESCO, geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development. The local community is included to foster conservation with sustainable development. Geoparks can help in promoting the economic well-being of the people living nearby. It would also help in the conservation of rock formations of geological significance.
About the park
The Geological Survey of India has sanctioned an amount of Rs 1.30 crore to prepare a detailed project report on the geological rock formations in five acres in the Lamheta village. Furthermore, Rs 35 crore has been estimated as the cost of the project.
According to the Member of the Parliament (MP) Rakesh Singh, the site is already on the UNESCO geo-heritage tentative list for the conservation of the natural heritage. Several dinosaur fossils had been found in the Narmada valley, particularly in the Bhedaghat-Lameta Ghat area of Jabalpur, as per the MP.
Benefits of a Geopark
Having geopark has several advantages to it. It can help in the conservation and protection of rocks formations that are significant in nature. Further, it also facilitates studies related to it. Culturally speaking, geo-sites play a significant part in the heritage and folklore of the areas in which it is located, adds to tourism prospects, and also create livelihood opportunities.
About GSI
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) was set up in 1851 to find coal deposits for the Railways. Over the years, GSI has grown into a repository of geo-science information required in various fields in the country. The main functions of GSI relate to the creation and upgradation of national geo-scientific information and mineral resource assessment.
It is one of the oldest of organisations in the world. GSI is headquartered in Kolkata and has six regional offices located at Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong, and Kolkata and State Unit offices in almost all states of the country.
