Micropaleontological evidence for tectonic uplift of near-shore deposits around Bankot–Velas, Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra

The neotectonic activity and the change in sea level have contributed to the present configuration of the Velas Coast. This is evident by the elevated lignitic beds all along the west coast in general and at Velas in particular. At Velas, the lignite bed occurs about 100 m MSL and is dated > 40000 years BP which is comparable to the Warkalli beds and therefore, appears to be contemporaneous with the other lignite beds reported so far from the west coast of India. The lignite bed at Velas is studied for its microfossil contents. The foraminiferal assemblage is cosmopolitan and shows the dominance of agglutinated foraminifera mainly represented by the species of Trochammina, Jadammina and Haplophragmoides characterizing the marsh environment. The palynoflora is also indicative of a near-shore environment and as such it supplements the foraminiferal data.