Geo-heritage Sites:
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Geo-heritage refers to the geological features which are inherently or culturally significant offering insight to earth’s evolution or history to earth science or that can be utilized for education.
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Geological Survey of India (GSI) is the parent body which is making efforts towards identification and protection of geo-heritage sites/national geological monuments in the country.
Why in News?
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Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified two geological heritage sites in the Indian Himalayan Region of India.
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Siwalik Fossil Park (Himachal Pradesh): The Siwalik Fossil park displays a rich collection of vertebrate fossils recovered from the Siwalik rocks of the area of Plio-Pleistocene age (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago).
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Stromatolite bearing Dolomite / Limestone of Buxa Formation of Buxa Formation (Sikkim): This Geoheritage site at Mamley exposes lithounits of Buxa Formation, Daling Group of Proterozoic age (2.5 billion years to 541 million years ago).