PERAMBALUR
An educational centre, including a museum and a children’s park, was inaugurated at the National Fossil Wood Park at Sathanur in the district on Friday. Christened, Sathanur Petrified Tree Educational Centre, the centre would provide information and also raise awareness among visitors about the importance of the fossil tree at the site and the region as well.
The over-100 million years old fossil tree is a protected monument of the Geological Survey of India. The petrified tree trunk, measuring over 18 metres in length, was first reported by M.S.Krishnan of the Geological Survey of India in 1940.
Thousands of years ago, the sea (which lies about 100 km east of Sathanur today) had ingressed and egressed in the region. Geological studies have indicated that the sea had transgressed more than 120,000,000 years ago. During this period, geologically known as the Cretaceous, the sea abounded in a variety of marine animals. Animals and trees along the shore were buried after being carried by flooded streams of seawater and were petrified in course of time. This had made the region a geologists’ paradise and the Sathanur ‘Kal Maram’ forms an important part of it.
A few years ago the Department of Tourism had sanctioned ₹50.50 lakh for setting up a museum and necessary infrastructure was created at the complex. The Education Centre has been established at the building constructed as part of the project and includes four halls with illustrations on the solar system, origin of earth, big bang theory, origin of life and evolution and the petrified tree. Fossils collected in the region have been displayed in a museum. Besides, a children’s park has also been established.
The centre was inaugurated by S.S.Sivasankar, Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, in the presence of J. Jeyaranjan, Vice-Chairperson, State Development Policy Council, P. Sri Venkada Priya, Collector, and other officials.
The centre is mainly intended to explain the importance of the fossil tree at Sathanur to the general public and students. Mr.Sivasankar said and added that steps were being taken to introduce an audio visual presentation at the centre.
