India Adds 7 Natural Sites to UNESCO Tentative List:
India has added seven natural sites to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites (WHS), taking its total to 69 (49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3 mixed properties). This highlights the country’s commitment to preserving its rich natural and cultural heritage.
India’s Newly Added Sites:
- Deccan Traps at Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra :Home to some of the best-preserved and studied lava flows in the world, these sites form part of the massive Deccan Traps and are located within the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary (already a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
- Geological Heritage of St. Mary’s Island Cluster, Karnataka: Known for its rare columnar basaltic rock formations, this island cluster dates back to the Late Cretaceous period (101 to 66 million years ago).
- Meghalayan Age Caves, Meghalaya: The stunning cave systems of Meghalaya, particularly the Mawmluh Cave, serve as the global reference point for the Meghalayan Age in the Holocene Epoch (last 11,000 years of the Earth’s history till date), reflecting significant climate and geological transitions.
- Naga Hill Ophiolite, Nagaland: A rare exposure to ophiolite rocks of , these hills represent oceanic crust uplifted onto continental plates (offering deep insights into tectonic processes and mid-ocean ridge dynamics).
- Erra Matti Dibbalu (Red Sand Hills), Andhra Pradesh: Red sand formations near Visakhapatnam showcase unique paleo-climatic and coastal geomorphological features that reveal Earth’s climatic history and dynamic evolution.Erra Matti Dibbalu was declared a GeoHeritage Monument by Geological Survey of India (GSI) in 2016.
- Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills, Andhra Pradesh: Featuring the Eparchaean Unconformity and the iconic Silathoranam (Natural Arch), this site holds immense geological significance, representing over 1.5 billion years of Earth’s history. They are part of Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve and Venkateswara National Park.
- Varkala Cliffs, Kerala: Cliff along Kerala’s coastline expose the Warkalli Formation of the Mio-Pliocene age, along with natural springs and striking erosional landforms, offering both scientific and touristic value.
