Himalayan Geology, Vol. 21 (1& 2), 2000, pp. 109-131, Printed in India

Palaeontological Evidence for the Upheaval History of Western Himalaya during the Palaeogene

N.S. MATHUR AND K.P.JUYAL
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geodlogy, Dehra Dun 248 001, India

Biostratigraphic analysis of the uppermost Cretaceous to lower Palaeogene successions of the Indus and Zanksar Tethyan zones of the Ladakh region as well as of the Himalayan foothills belt of the western Himalaya indicates progressive southward withdrawal of the Tethys sea. The regression of the Tethys from the Indus zone took place in the beginning of the Late Ypresian, from the Zanskar Tethyan zone towards the end of Ypersian and from the Himalayan foothills belt in the Early Lutetian times. It led to the developmenty of continental conditions in these zones. Present data suggests that regression of the sea in these times from the various belts was due to phased tectonic upheaval of the Himalaya during initial stages of the Himalayan Orogeny.