India seeks UNESCO status for 10 geological sites amid push for Geo Heritage Sites and Geo-relics Bill
In a bid to protect and enhance its geological heritage, India has applied for UNESCO Global Geopark status for ten of its exceptional geological sites. This is as part of the country’s travel guest blog intention to market its distinct geodiversity as well as its natural history, which it terms as invaluable. It further aligns with the proposed Geo Heritage Sites and Geo-relics Bill that aspires to give a legal framework to guard such geological marvels.
The Drive for UNESCO Status
The Indian government has proposed ten sites for UNESCO Global Geopark status. The UNESCO Global Geopark status is regarded as one of the most prestigious and widely recognized statuses for a site of international geological travel guest blog interest. It will bring much-needed international recognition to these sites, increase sustainable tourism, and help preserve these locations. And here are these proposed sites:
Lonar Lake (Maharashtra) – This happens to be one of the biggest and oldest impact craters in basaltic rock, which formed 52,000 plus years ago via meteorite impact.
Stromatolite Park, Madhya Pradesh – Region preserving ancient microbial structures up to 3.5 billion years old that gives a glimpse into the most ancient life forms on Earth.
Bhedaghat Marble Rocks, Madhya Pradesh – Known for their sheer travel guest blog white marble cliffs and the marvelous rock formations carved out by the Narmada River.
Siwalik Fossil Park, Himachal Pradesh – A site that contains vertebrate fossils from 2.5 million years ago and enlightens the readers on the paleo fauna of the area.
Great Boundary Fault, Rajasthan – It is a big geological fault line, which demarcates the Vindhyan and Aravalli mountain ranges.
Kadapa Basin, Andhra Pradesh: One of the most important sedimentary basins that retains evidence of geological processes occurring over several hundreds of millions of years.
Mawsmai Cave, Meghalaya: With impressive stalactites and stalagmites, it is a part of complex limestone formations of Khasi Hills.
Mawmluh Cave, Meghalaya: It has marked “Meghalayan Age” with major climatic event 4,200 years back.
Neogal Lamayuru, Ladakh: An ancient geological landmark from India which has relics of the Tethys Sea.
Rajasthan Stromatolite Site, Jaisalmer: Another important location that brings fossil microbial structures into view, giving us a glimpse of what Earth would have looked like in the distant past.
The Geo Heritage Sites and Geo-relics Bill
This would mean that the Geo Heritage Sites and Geo-relics Bill aimed at introducing a legislative framework for the conservation, travel guest blog preservation, and management of geo-heritage sites and relics of India. Once enacted, this act shall enable the GSI to protect these geo-heritage sites and control their access to prevent vandalism, illegal mining, and other destructive activities.
Today, such protection for Indian sites is limited to a few scattered legislations enacted under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological travel guest blog Sites and Remains Act of 1958. However, geological formations in them have not been looked after, and hence, they have borne the full brunt of neglect and destruction over the years. So, these will be filled in with this proposed bill by lawfully recognizing and protecting geo-heritage sites and relics.
UNESCO Geopark Status Importance
These Indian sites would be marked on the world map as UNESCO Global Geoparks, and international tourists and researchers might visit them. The money spent on sustainable tourism, community development, and education travel guest blog initiatives would be added to the local economy. That’s it; besides UNESCO accreditation, conservation of the geological sites is guaranteed not to misuse them wherein the local communities take the ownership of their protection.
Challenges and Future Directions
Conclusion
KreativanSays:- But the journey to achieve UNESCO Global Geopark status is lined with numerous challenges. Being able to meet UNESCO standards, which travel guest blog calls for a well-structured management system in partnership with an active local populace to devise the sustainable development agenda would come at a very great expense on resources. The Geo Heritage Sites and Geo-relics Bill that was proposed will be in that line; however, it needs coordination between the centre and the states and the interested stakeholders and experts for this to see light of day.
The imperative push to UNESCO recognition, coupled with the Geo Heritage Sites and Geo-relics Bill clearly outlines how India is not only a proactive player in protecting its diverse geological heritage but also pushes conservation efforts to international standards to portray its natural history.