The Salkhan Fossils Park in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh has been added to the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is a recognition of the geoscientific and ecological significance of the fossil park, which contains the oldest fossils in the world, about 1.4 billion years old. Its inclusion in the UNESCO list will benefit eco-tourism and scientific research on the fossils and ecology of the Salkhan Fossils Park, as well as also increase international interest and tourism in other natural heritage sites in Uttar Pradesh. The state government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is already working to recognize in the global arena natural heritage sites such as Salkhan Fossils Park.
Salkhan Fossils Park has been added to the UNESCO Tentative List, being the first formal step to being recognized as World Heritage Site. The listing follows the scientific verification of the significance of the Salkhan fossil site by the UP Tourism Department and other stakeholders in the eco-tourism development sector.
A few key facts:
• Salkhan Fossils Park is located in Salkhan village of Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, located 15 km from Robertsganj.
• It is one of the oldest fossil sites in the world, containing stromatolites and algae fossils approximately 1.4 billion years old.
Steps to Achieve UNESCO tag
• Being in the tentative list is the first step of the nomination process..
• The state is preparing a detailed dossier to forward to UNESCO through the Government of India.
• Once the dossier is received, the final process of UNESCO is to conduct on-site review and evaluation. This may take about one year.
Scientific Verification
• The UP Eco-Tourism Development Board and Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow signed MoU on June 26, 2024, on the study of the Salkhan fossils.
• Studies confirmed the existence of some of the oldest life forms on Earth.
