GOVERNANCE / GEOLOGY
YOU ARE looking at one of the most critical sites in Himalayan history," says Manoj Kumar, former director of the Geological Survey of India (GSI), pointing at a valley along the Kalka-Shimla highway in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district. With multi-storeyed buildings and terrace farming filling up the landscape, there is nothing that distinguishes the valley from any other in the area. "If it does not look different, it is because it has been destroyed due to construction of houses and settlements. Just four-five years ago, you could have seen geomorphological features—the cuts of the slopes, the inclinations of the rocks on the bare mountains that tell the story of the evolution of the range itself,” Kumar adds.
The valley is among a handful of spots in India where the main boundary thrust (MBT)—a 2,400 km belt in the Himalayas, running through Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutanhas been studied. Formation of the Himalayas started 50 million years ago, when the Indian plate crashed into the Eurasian plate. But MBT was formed much later, some 10 million years ago, as part of the same process. These features cannot be studied just anywhere on the belt. "It is possible to identify new geological sites but the process of studying them, including estimating the age of each layer of the rock, could take decades. The process is also expensive,” Kumar adds.
Pointing at the valley, Kumar says this was a prized section, a Mecca for geologists, and has been studied by students from all over the world since it was first noticed by an Irish geologist in 1864. "It has been completely destroyed due to mindless construction and road widening activities,” says an agitated Kumar, who accompanied this reporter to the spot and to many others on the Kalka-Shimla highway that have faced destruction due to developmental activities.
Esta historia es de la edición May 01, 2022 de Down To Earth.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición May 01, 2022 de Down To Earth.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Trade On Emissions
EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tariff on imports, is designed to protect European industries in the guise of climate action.
'The project will facilitate physical and cultural decimation of indigenous people'
The Great Nicobar Project has all the hallmarks of a disaster-seismic, ecological, human. Why did it get the go-ahead?
TASTE IT RED
Popularity of Karnataka's red jackfruit shows how biodiversity can be conserved by ensuring that communities benefit from it
MANY MYTHS OF CHIPKO
Misconceptions about the Chipko movement have overshadowed its true objectives.
The politics and economics of mpox
Africa's mpox epidemic stems from delayed responses, neglect of its health risks and the stark vaccine apartheid
Emerging risks
Even as the world gets set to eliminate substances threatening the ozone layer, climate change and space advancement pose new challenges.
JOINING THE CARBON CLUB
India's carbon market will soon be a reality, but will it fulfil its aim of reducing emissions? A report by PARTH KUMAR and MANAS AGRAWAL
Turn a new leaf
Scientists join hands to predict climate future of India's tropical forests
Festering troubles
The Democratic Republic of Congo struggles to contain mpox amid vaccine delays, conflict and fragile healthcare.
India sees unusual monsoon patterns
THE 2024 southwest monsoon has, between June 1 and September 1, led to excess rainfall in western and southern states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, while others like Nagaland, Manipur and Punjab recorded a deficit.