Bori’s geological gift in jeopardy

Until October 31, the truckers were a happy lot as they carried out business as usual. All that has changed from November 1. The accumulated water has proved to be a hurdle to the truckers who have been mercilessly devastating this precious land which is of “extraordinary geological importance.” Dr. Avinash Phadke, well-known city geologist, who has been conducting research at Bori for 10 years now has reiterated that, "Bori is a classical example where such a large concentration of invaluable ash is found."

He has appealed to the collectorate, to halt further destruction of this region, which is of national geological importance.

Phadke believes that “in due course of time, artificial erosion of the river bed by digging sand for construction work, the ash deposits embedded in the soil will be adversely affected.” He strongly feels that many geological conclusions have been drawn due to the vertical sequence of ash deposits in this area. Eventually — Phadke would not like to set a definite time frame — the artificial erosion is bound to accelerate the destruction of these ash deposits.

Phadke feels the collection of water due to the bund is also not a permanent solution since the ash deposits are hidden only as long as the water lasts. Come summer, and the truckers will make a beeline again to steal the precious treasure. Moreover, the local women have already begin to gnaw into this ash, which they has proved to a wonderful utensil cleaner.

Phadke further adds “these sediments have also revealed fossil mammals and paleolithic implements.” Authorities must pull up their socks immediately, before this unique area is destroyed, he feels.

The ash deposits in Bori are significant since they provide a new insight into the historical perspective of human life in Maharashtra. For a common man, it seems spectacular to imagine that while life was being led on earth, there was a great journey taking place in the sky. At the stratospheric level, the ash travelled millions of miles to settle down at Bori, an innocuous village, off Ale Phata, beyond Narayangoan.

Geologists say that the Stone Age man must have actually witnessed this unusual event of air-borne occurrence when the huge ash cloud descended, enveloping a large area in Pune district.

Sharad Rajguru, a former geo-archaeology professor at the Deccan College stumbled upon this volcanic ash, a decade ago. He has stated that “preliminary scientific investigations revealed that the volcanic ash was perhaps 14 lakh years old. However, a study sometime back by Prof. Somaya Jalu of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, has established the age of tephra (ash) deposit as seven lakh years and this figure has been internationally accepted.”

Similar deposits are also found near Morgaon, of the Ashtavinayak fame in Pune district, in Purna river bed in Akola district and near Narsinghpur in the Narmada river bed in Madhya Pradesh. However, the deposits in these places are less spectacular than Bori. Hence, the crying need by geologists to put it under protection.

2. An interesting view of the volcanic ash deposits seen in the foreground, which can be seen in plenty in and around the Kukdi river basin at Bori village. Geologically, these ash deposits attain great significance but are being threatened by sand trucks which along with sand, also steal ash. A threat to this important geological site, say geologists.