Question 70 from UPSC CSE 2017 - Geography

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. In India, the Himalayas are spread over five states only.
2. Western Ghats are spread over five states only.
3. Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. 3 only

Strategy: *   Identify extreme keywords like "only" in statements 1 and 2, which often signal incorrect information.
*   Challenge these statements using basic geographical knowledge:
    *   The Himalayas extend through more than five states/Union Territories.
    *   The Western Ghats span six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
*   Conclude that statements 1 and 2 are incorrect based on these geographical facts.
*   Verify statement 3: Pulicat Lake is correctly located on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
*   Eliminate the incorrect options to arrive at the correct answer.

Key Info: ## Himalayas
The Himalayan mountain range in India is not limited to five states. It extends across a vast expanse of the northern and northeastern parts of the country.

- **States and Union Territories covered** -- The Himalayas pass through the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Their foothills also extend into parts of Assam and West Bengal (Darjeeling hills).
- **Geological Significance** -- They are young fold mountains formed by the collision of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate. They consist of three parallel ranges: the Greater Himalayas (Himadri), the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal), and the Outer Himalayas (Shivaliks).

## Western Ghats (Sahyadri)
The Western Ghats are a continuous mountain range running parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula. They are spread over six states, not five.

- **States covered** -- The range starts from the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra, and runs through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, ending at Kanyakumari.
- **Ecological Importance** -- The Western Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the eight 'hottest hot-spots' of biological diversity in the world. They play a crucial role in influencing the Indian monsoon weather patterns.

## Pulicat Lake (Pazhaverkadu Eri)
Pulicat Lake is the second-largest brackish water lagoon in India, after Chilika Lake in Odisha. It is correctly stated to be spread over two states.

- **Location** -- The lagoon straddles the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, with over 96% of its area in Andhra Pradesh (Nellore district) and the remaining part in Tamil Nadu (Tiruvallur district).
- **Key Features** -- The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal and is home to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The lake is an important habitat for migratory birds and is designated as the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: 2 and 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1 and 3 only

Consider the following statements: In India, the Himalayas are spread over five states only. Western Ghats are spread over five states only. Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

In India, the Himalayas are spread over five states only.

Western Ghats are spread over five states only.

Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?