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.