Fossil Sites of Upper Catchment of River Dwarakeshwar, West Bengal, India

Abstract

The Dwarakaswar river system is the sub watershed of the Gangetic delta of West Bengal. This is the dominant water flow of the western part of West Bengal, India. The upper catchment of Dwarakeshwar lies on the  edge Tamar Porapahar Shear Zone and this upper catchment is the result of Proterozoic orogeny. Here, the basic principle of Hutton that is ‘the present is the key to the past’ has been followed. The study deals with intensive fieldwork with the identification of ontological sites of upper catchment of river Dwarakeshwar and here three fossil sites have been identified and plotted on maps. Three identified fossil sites are the stem of a woody plant, foot-print of early hominoids and a faunal fossil which appears like a Permian reptile. Those fossil sites are found vicinity to the river water line. Here the identified one wood fossil site and two faunal sites will be the positive impetus to the future study of palaeo-study of botany, zoology geology and geological and climate of western part of West Bengal, India.