India to get its first Geopark in Madhya Pradesh. The park will be set up at Lamheta village on the banks of river Narmada, Jabalpur district. A sum of Rs 1.30 crore has been sanctioned by the Geological Survey of India to prepare a detailed project blueprint on the geological rock formations across five acres of land in Lamheta village. A total of Rs 35 crore has been estimated as the outlay cost.
The site is already on the UNESCO geo-heritage tentative list for the conservation of the natural heritage, informed member of the Parliament (MP) Rakesh Singh. It is reported that several dinosaur fossils had been found in the Narmada valley, particularly in the Bhedaghat-Lamheta Ghat area of Jabalpur.
Interacting with the media reporters, Singh emphasised Lamheta’s geological significance stating that the first dinosaur fossil was collected from the Lamheta Bed in 1828 by Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer William Sleeman.
A geopark is a site where landscapes of international significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development. The local community is included to foster conservation with sustainable development. Apart from helping in the conservation of rock formations, these sites would also promote the wellbeing of the people in the vicinity.