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Difficulty: Very hardPhysiography and Relief Features of India

Regarding the physiographic divisions and structural relief features of India, which of the following statements are correct?

  1. The Western Ghats form a continuous relief wall of higher average elevation compared to the discontinuous Eastern Ghats, and are crossed primarily through natural passes such as Thalghat, Bhorghat, and Palghat.Answer
  2. The Bhabar belt along the immediate southern foothills of the Shiwaliks consists of coarse pebble deposits where streams disappear underground owing to very high porosity.Answer
  3. C
    Karewa formations—thick lacustrine deposits of glacial clay and organic material famous for saffron cultivation—are exclusively found in the Eastern Himalayas and Purvanchal hill tracts.
  4. The Malabar Coast of southwestern India features prominent coastal lagoons and backwaters locally known as 'Kayals', whereas the Coromandel Coast along the east is dominated by expansive deltaic plains.Answer

Answer

The correct statements are those describing the continuity and passes of the Western Ghats, the high-porosity pebble composition of the Bhabar belt, and the contrast between the western Malabar backwaters ('Kayals') and eastern Coromandel deltas.
The statements highlighting the continuity and elevation of the Western Ghats (with Thalghat, Bhorghat, and Palghat passes), the coarse porosity of the Bhabar belt causing underground stream sinking, and the occurrence of 'Kayals' on the Malabar Coast versus river deltas on the Coromandel Coast are all geomorphologically correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate Western Ghats relief and continuity characteristics.
Western Ghats form a continuous escarpment with an average elevation of 900–1600 meters, traversable via key passes like Thalghat, Bhorghat, and Palghat. This statement is accurate.
Topographic continuity and pass locations correctly distinguish the Western Ghats from the eroded Eastern Ghats.
2
Analyze the northern plain morpho-tectonic zone known as Bhabar.
The Bhabar lies adjacent to the Shiwalik foothills, containing coarse gravel and alluvial fans where streams submerge. This statement is accurate.
High porosity of coarse boulder deposits causes surface water disappearance characteristic of the Bhabar zone.
3
Assess the geographic distribution of Karewa landforms.
Karewas are lacustrine deposits confined to the Kashmir Valley in the Northwestern Himalayas, not the Eastern Himalayas. This statement is false.
Misattributing Karewa terraces to the Eastern Himalayas violates regional physiographic distribution facts.
4
Compare coastal plain physiographic features between Malabar and Coromandel coasts.
Malabar Coast features unique backwaters ('Kayals'), whereas Coromandel Coast is dominated by extensive prograding river deltas (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri). This statement is accurate.
Distinct coastal geomorphology differentiates the narrow western submergent/emergent coasts from wide eastern deltaic plains.

Key Concept

Physiographic divisions, mountain pass locations, plain zonation (Bhabar/Terai/Bangar/Khadar), and coastal geomorphology of India.
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Topics

Physiography and Relief Features of India

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