In which district is Lamheta village located, where the Geo-Park is set to be established?
- (a)Bhopal
- (b)Jabalpur
- (c)Indore
- (d)Gwalior
Correct — B, Jabalpur. Lamheta village lies about 20 km from Jabalpur, on the bank of the Narmada river in the Bhedaghat-Lamheta Ghat belt. The Geological Survey of India has approved India's first Geo-Park here, built around the fossil-rich 'Lameta Beds' — Cretaceous-age rock layers from which the first dinosaur fossil in India was collected (by William Sleeman, as far back as 1828). The site is on UNESCO's geo-heritage tentative list.
- (a)Bhopal — Madhya Pradesh's capital city, built around the Upper Lake — not where the Lamheta Geo-Park is located.
- (c)Indore — MP's largest city and commercial hub — unrelated to the Lamheta fossil site.
- (d)Gwalior — A historic MP city famous for its hilltop fort — not connected to the Geo-Park.
Lamheta village, on the Narmada near Jabalpur, gives its name to the 'Lameta Beds' — Late Cretaceous sedimentary rock layers famous for dinosaur fossil discoveries. The Geological Survey of India approved the country's first Geo-Park here to protect and showcase this fossil heritage.
MPPSC likes pairing MP-specific geo-heritage 'firsts' with the state's four biggest cities as distractors — anchor the fact to the actual site (Lamheta/Jabalpur, on the Narmada) rather than guessing the biggest or most famous city.
- Lamheta village is about 20 km from Jabalpur, on the bank of the Narmada river.
- The Geological Survey of India approved India's first Geo-Park at Lamheta.
- The first dinosaur fossil in India was collected from the Lameta Beds by William Sleeman in 1828.
- The site is on UNESCO's geo-heritage tentative list for conservation.
Lamheta, 20 km from Jabalpur on the Narmada, is where India's first dinosaur fossil was collected (1828) — now the site of India's first GSI-approved Geo-Park.
- Picking a bigger/more famous MP city (Bhopal, Indore) instead of the actual, smaller fossil site
- Confusing the Lamheta Geo-Park (dinosaur fossils, Jabalpur) with the older Ghughua Fossil Park (fossilised plant remains, Dindori district, MP) — a different fossil site
MPPSC likes 'which district is X village/site located in' current-affairs questions on MP geo-heritage 'firsts' — know the exact district, not just the state.
No directly related past UPSC PYQ was found on the Lamheta Geo-Park or the Lameta fossil beds.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Fossil evidence of dinosaurs in Madhya Pradesh, including the Lameta Beds, has principally been found along which river valley?
- (a)Chambal
- (b)Narmada
- (c)Son
- (d)Betwa
Answer(b) Narmada — the Lameta Beds lie along the Narmada near Jabalpur.
- practice — not a real PYQ
A 'Geo-Park' is primarily established to protect and showcase sites of:
- (a)wildlife habitats
- (b)geological and paleontological significance
- (c)archaeological monuments alone
- (d)wetland ecosystems
Answer(b) Geological and paleontological significance.