Geoheritage sites
Also called: National Geological Monuments · Topic: Landforms and their Evolution: Rivers, Groundwater, Glaciers, Waves and Wind · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Geoheritage sites are places with rocks, fossils or landforms that are important to science. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) declares them National Geological Monuments to protect them. They help us understand the earth's history, and they support education and tourism. Examples include the Lonar crater in Maharashtra, the Siwalik Fossil Park at Saketi in Himachal Pradesh, and the columnar basalt of St Mary's Island in Karnataka. (The number of declared sites, and the status of the draft Geo-heritage Bill 2022, may have changed; verify current.)
Example
St Mary's Island off the coast near Udupi in Karnataka is a National Geological Monument. It has columns of basalt, many with six sides, formed as lava cooled and cracked.
Don't confuse with
- UNESCO Global Geopark: a large area with international recognition from UNESCO, run for conservation, education and local development. A National Geological Monument is a site declared by the GSI inside India.