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Lapthal is located in the
The Pithoragarh Forest Division's management plan for 2011 to 2021 has suggested that the Lapthal region, located near the Indo-Tibetan border, be designated as a Fossil National Park. This area, extending across parts of Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts in Uttarakhand, India, represents the remnants of an ancient seabed that disappeared during the Himalayan formation. The proposed park aims to protect significant fossil deposits and the region's unique flora and fauna while curbing illegal trade and poaching activities. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve officials are tasked with preparing a comprehensive proposal and delineating the park's boundaries, which will cover between 500 and 1,000 square kilometers, predominantly at elevations of about 4,500 meters above sea level. The site is rich in marine fossils such as ammonites and belemnites, known locally as 'Shaligram pathar,' which hold cultural and religious significance. The region also supports diverse wildlife, including the snow leopard, musk deer, Tibetan wild ass, woolly hare, and Tibetan wolf. Given its strategic location near the border, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) oversee the area. Presently, access to Lapthal is limited to trekking routes from Sumna in
Lapthal is located in the Pithoragarh district
Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. Th ...
and Chamoli district
Chamoli district is a district of the Uttarakhand state of India. It is bounded by China's Xizang Autonomous Region to the north, and by the Uttarakhand districts of Pithoragarh district, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar district, Bageshwar to the eas ...
of Uttarakahand, India. Lapthal is historically part of India territory and currently controlled by India with some claim on the region by Zanda County 13-06-2025
Zanda County or Tsamda County (, zh, s=札达县) is a county in the Ngari Prefecture to the extreme west of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Its seat of power is at Tholing, the former capital of the Guge kingdom.
Zanda is said ...
, Ngari Prefecture
Ngari Prefecture () or Ali Prefecture ( zh, s=阿里地区 , t=阿里地區 , p=Ālǐ Dìqū) is a prefecture of China's Tibet Autonomous Region covering Western Tibet, whose traditional name is Ngari Khorsum. Its administrative centre and large ...
, Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
.
Origins of Lapthal
The Lapthal Region, located in Pithoragarh District in the north-east of Uttarakhand, Himalayas, holds a fascinating geological history that traces back to the ancientTethys Sea
The Tethys Ocean ( ; ), also called the Tethys Sea or the Neo-Tethys, was a prehistoric ocean during much of the Mesozoic Era and early-mid Cenozoic Era. It was the predecessor to the modern Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Eurasia ...
. During the Mesozoic Era
The Mesozoic Era is the era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. It is characterized by the dominance of archosaurian reptiles such as the dinosaurs, and of gymnosperms s ...
, the Tethys Sea was a vast ocean separating the supercontinents of Gondwana
Gondwana ( ; ) was a large landmass, sometimes referred to as a supercontinent. The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today's continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia (continent), Australia, Zea ...
and Laurasia
Laurasia () was the more northern of two large landmasses that formed part of the Pangaea supercontinent from around ( Mya), the other being Gondwana. It separated from Gondwana (beginning in the late Triassic period) during the breakup of Pa ...
. As tectonic movements gradually pushed these landmasses together, the Tethys Sea began to close, giving rise to the majestic Himalayas. Today, the Lapthal Region offers a rare glimpse into this bygone era, with marine fossils and sedimentary rock formations that once lay at the bottom of the Tethys Sea now visible on the surface. These geological remnants provide invaluable insights into the Earth's dynamic history and the processes that shaped the current Himalayan landscape.
Proposed Fossil National Park in Lapthal
The Pithoragarh Forest Division's management plan for 2011 to 2021 has suggested that the Lapthal region, located near the Indo-Tibetan border, be designated as a Fossil National Park. This area, extending across parts of Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts in Uttarakhand, India, represents the remnants of an ancient seabed that disappeared during the Himalayan formation. The proposed park aims to protect significant fossil deposits and the region's unique flora and fauna while curbing illegal trade and poaching activities. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve officials are tasked with preparing a comprehensive proposal and delineating the park's boundaries, which will cover between 500 and 1,000 square kilometers, predominantly at elevations of about 4,500 meters above sea level. The site is rich in marine fossils such as ammonites and belemnites, known locally as 'Shaligram pathar,' which hold cultural and religious significance. The region also supports diverse wildlife, including the snow leopard, musk deer, Tibetan wild ass, woolly hare, and Tibetan wolf. Given its strategic location near the border, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) oversee the area. Presently, access to Lapthal is limited to trekking routes from Sumna in Chamoli
Chamoli district is a district of the Uttarakhand state of India. It is bounded by China's Xizang Autonomous Region to the north, and by the Uttarakhand districts of Pithoragarh and Bageshwar to the east, Almora to the south, Pauri Garhwal to ...
or Munsiyari
Munsyari ( Kumaoni: ''Munsyār'') is the name of the sub-division headquarters, a municipal board, a conglomeration of revenue villages and it also refers to the entire region as Munsiyari Tehsil and Sub Division in the Pithoragarh District in ...
in Pithoragarh, although the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has plans to construct a new route from Sumna to Lapthal.
ITBP border out posts
Lapthal and Rimkhim border out posts of theIndo-Tibetan Border Police
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is a Central Armed Police Forces, central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs (India), Ministry of Home Affairs. It is responsible for guarding Border guard, India’s border with ...
are located in the area. It took the Border Roads Organisation
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a statutory body under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries. This include ...
24 years to connect Rimkhim to the nearest habitat of Malari
Malari, situated in the Dhauli Ganga valley within the Nanda Devi Biosphere reserve, is a small village near the Tibet border. This area has been designated as a world heritage site. It is located 61 km from Joshimath, the nearest ''Tehsi ...
, 41 kilometers away.References
Uttarakhand {{India-geo-stub