বাংলার জীবাশ্ম

 "বাংলার জীবাশ্ম - Deep Time Biodiversity of West - Bengal"

is a non-profit event organized by the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata with the prime aim to unite people from all domains working on deep time biodiversity of the flora and fauna of West-Bengal and their conservation. This is also to create a data bank and raise awareness among people leading to proper conservation of fossil heritage of the state. West-Bengal has been the land of several archaic and indigenous Indian tribes like the Santhals, the Mundas, the Gonds and many others. The state is known to behold a rich cultural heritage. However, moving towards deep time, West- Bengal also has a rich record of fossil floras and faunas dating back to 250 million years from the present. Starting from the Late Permian period (approximately 240 million years ago) this fossil saga includes the famous flora Glossopteris, estherids, ichnofossils and vertebrates. Fossilized tree trunks dating back to two million years are also very common. Even then, the state of West-bengal is not popular for its fossil contents, both among the scientists and the common people. Scientists working with fossils of West-Bengal seldom sit together to take stock of the situation. No comprehensive database is available in this regard. Moreover, lack of proper awareness has led to rampant destruction of the fossiliferous sites of Bengal. Keeping all these in mind, a two days non-profit 

symposium has been arranged as an initial attempt to unite workers from different domains to speak and discuss about the archaic biota of the state of West-Bengal and plan for their conservation.