Lead Stories
Pampore site to be developed as world’s second ‘Fossil Park’
Srinagar, Oct 14: World’s second Fossil Park is likely to come up in Kashmir as the USA based -The Penn Dixie , a natural history society, has made a resolution to develop the site, which is located in Pampore area of Pulwama district.
The announcement was Sunday made by Environment Policy Group (EPG), a group of environment concerned citizens of Kashmir, which said its representative Abdul Majid Bhat and The Penn Dixie Executive Director Finance, Dr Phil Stokes have formally signed and displayed the agreement at New York.
“The EPG is pleased to announce that The Penn Dixie , Natural History Society, (World’s No 1 Fossil Park) Hamburg, New York , USA, has released the resolution to collaborate with Environmental Policy Group( EPG) through its constituent, Centre For Himalayan Geology and assist and develop Kashmir Triassic Fossil Park at Guryul Ravines in Khonmoh Pampore,” a statement by EPG said.
The EGP said that the agreement was signed after Bhat made an impressive presentation of his decades’ old work on Kashmir’s fossil site to Penn Dixie Board.
“The EPG Trustee, Governing Council Member & Chairman Centre for Himalayan Geology Abdul Majid Bhat travelled to United States and on August 25, he made PowerPoint presentation on Kashmir Triassic Fossil Park to the Penn Dixie with whom EPG has been communicating for the past two to three years,” the statement said.
The EPG said, “His study, research and perseverance succeeded in helping the Penn Dixie to assess the status of Fossil Park at Guryul Ravines, Khonmoh-Vihi District- as a geological treasure,” it said.
While divulging information about the site, Faiz Bakshi, a member of EPG, said the massive bio-extinction, which was believed to have occurred 252 million years back in the geological times of Permian Triassic Era, is fully stored in a great rock system at Guryul Ravine in Khanmoh.
“It is perhaps known only to the interested scientists that the first ever recorded Tsunami is well preserved in the layers of these rocks. Geologists from all over the World, especially from USA, UK, Ireland, China, Japan and Scotland, have been visiting this area for furthering their research studies,” he said.
Bakshi said that the Kashmir’s fossil park could be the world deepest fossil park to attract the researchers worldwide.
“The site was first discovered by Godwin- Austin back in 1859. The only fossil park in China is just 10 inch deep, however ours has been declared as three-feet deep,” he said.
Former J&K Governor N N Vohra and Tourism department earlier also expressed their desire in the development of the fossil park.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is likely to use the opportunity of discussions during the high-level UN General Assembly session that begins here next week to raise the Kashmir issue, the UN chief’s spokesperson has said.
Spokesman for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric during the daily press briefing here on Thursday said that the UN chief has underscored the need for dialogue as the only way to resolve the issue and, “as part of the solution for the current crisis in Kashmir, to make sure that human rights aspects are very much dealt with, as well.”
“…On Kashmir, the Secretary General… has said previously, he remains engaged. I think he will also use the opportunity of discussions during the General Assembly to raise it,” Dujarric said, responding to a question on the situation in Kashmir.
On Wednesday, Guterres emphasised that “dialogue” between India and Pakistan is an “absolute essential element” for reaching a solution on the Kashmir issue, and said his good offices are available should both sides ask for it and called for full respect of human rights.
“Well, our capacity is related to good offices, and good offices can only be implemented when the parties accept it. And, on the other hand, it relates to advocacy, and the advocacy was expressed and will be maintained,” Guterres said during his press conference ahead of the UN General Assembly session.
Guterres was asked by a Pakistani journalist about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and what will he do to bring a solution to the Kashmir issue.
“I go on with a clear opinion that human rights must be fully respected in the territory, and I go on with the clear opinion that dialogue between India and Pakistan is an absolutely essential element for the solution of the problem,” he said.
India has always maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is its integral part and ruled out any third party mediation, including either from the UN or the US, saying it is a bilateral issue with Pakistan.
The UN Secretary General has also repeatedly asserted that his good offices are available only if both sides ask for it.
Tension between India and Pakistan escalated after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5. Pakistan has downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.
Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its “internal matter”.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to raise the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York on September 27. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to speak on the same day.
NEW DELHI: Amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions, India will participate at the SAARC foreign ministers meeting scheduled to be held on September 26 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, officials said on Thursday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan will be present in the US next week and will hold bilateral and multilateral meetings.
Officials said India will participate in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation foreign ministers meeting that is scheduled for September 26.
The meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA could bring Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi face to face for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.
Asked about a possible meeting with his Pakistani counterpart as well as the future of the SAARC regional grouping, Jaishankar, at a press conference earlier this week, had said, “if and when I meet Pakistani Foreign Minister, we will see at that time what happens”.
The SAARC is about regional cooperation and that refers to trade, MFN, connectivity etc.
, he had said, adding that now every member knows which country is promoting SAARC and which one is impeding it.
Last year, then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had attended the SAARC Foreign Ministers meeting, usually held on the sidelines of the UNGA.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought a report from Jammu and Kashmir High Court on the alleged detention of children in Kashmir during curbs following the scrapping of Article 370 in the state on August 5.
Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing child right activists Inakshi Ganguly and Shanta Sinha who have alleged detention of children in Kashmir, had on September 16 told the apex court that people in the Valley are not able to approach the high court there.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it would entertain the petition regarding alleged detention of children in Kashmir as the plea has raised “substantial issues” regarding minors. The top court directed the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to file a report before it within a week on the issue.
The Supreme Court also said it had received a report from the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and claims that people are unable to access the court there are not supported.
“We have received the report from the chief justice (of Jammu and Kashmir High Court) which does not support your statement,” the bench also comprising justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer told the counsel appearing for the petitioners.
The Supreme Court also sought response from the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea challenging detention of five persons in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.
The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the Jammu and Kashmir administration, to file his response.