The President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has shown keen interest in development of a geopark network in the country. The network is to benefit the region like India’s NE region, the most. For, these are the regions, which store many geological marvels that may focus on the past of the earth in an illuminating way.

Manjit Kumar Mazumdar of the Department of Geology, Pragjyotish College said that he along with Dr Arun Deep Ahluwalia met the President a few days back. At the meeting the President gave them the above assurance. The President also arranged a meeting of Mazumdar and Dr Ahluwalia with Secretary of the newly created Ministry of Earth Sciences Dr PS Goel.

In the meeting of Dr Goel with Mazumdar and Dr Ahluwalia it transpired that the Ministry would take into consideration the need for preserving and promoting geodiversity of the country in a holistic manner by setting up geoparks in the coming days.

It needs mention here that the concept of geoparks has been gaining popularity in the developed countries. Several developing countries have also attached importance to it. The UNESCO has recognized this concept with due earnest. So far 48 geoparks from 15 member states are affiliated to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network (GGN). For the GGN affiliation, a national geopark network of the country is a must. The GGN affiliation is equivalent to that of the World Heritage status of the UNESCO.