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Difficulty: MediumPhysiography and Relief Features of India

The Meghalaya Plateau and the Karbi Anglong Hills are structural extensions of the main Peninsular Plateau of India. Which of the following statements regarding the physiography and geology of this region are correct?

  1. The Meghalaya Plateau is separated from the Chota Nagpur Plateau by a structural fault down-warp known as the Malda Gap.Answer
  2. The Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills constitute the major relief sub-divisions of the Meghalaya Plateau.Answer
  3. C
    Geologically, the Meghalaya Plateau is composed predominantly of young Quaternary alluvial deposits formed by the Brahmaputra River system.
  4. D
    The southern slope of the Khasi Hills experiences arid conditions due to an extensive rain-shadow effect.

Answer

The statements confirming that the Meghalaya Plateau is separated from the Chota Nagpur Plateau by the Malda Gap and that it comprises the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills are correct.
The Meghalaya Plateau is geologically an extension of the Peninsular shield of India. Faulting during the Indian plate movement created a depressed gap between the Rajmahal Hills and the Garo Hills (the Malda Gap), which was later filled by river sediments. The plateau is further divided into prominent hill ranges including the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the structural origin of the Meghalaya Plateau in relation to Peninsular India.
Identify that the Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong plateaus are detached northeastern remnants of the ancient Peninsular shield, separated from the Rajmahal Hills by the Rajmahal-Garo (Malda) Gap.
Tectonic faulting and subsequent river deposition created the gap across the Peninsular block.
2
Analyze the rock composition and geological age of the plateau.
Recognize that the bedrock consists of Archaean quartzites, schists, and ancient granites rather than young Quaternary river alluvium.
This invalidates the claim of recent Brahmaputra alluvial origin.
3
Evaluate the relief units and climatic interaction of the Meghalaya landforms.
Confirm the west-to-east layout of the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills, and note that their funnel-shaped southern aspect produces heavy rainfall rather than an arid rain-shadow zone.
Windward orographic precipitation dominates the southern slope.

Key Concept

Physiographic and structural characteristics of the Meghalaya Plateau as part of the Peninsular Shield
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Topics

Physiography and Relief Features of India

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