The Kashmir Himalayas contain thick, elevated deposits of glacial clay mixed with boulders and other morainic material. What are these deposits called?
Correct Answer :
Karewas
Solution :
The correct option is Karewas.
Explanation:
Karewas are thick, elevated lacustrine (lake-origin) and glacial clay formations mixed with boulders, sand, silt, and morainic material, found extensively in the Kashmir Valley and along the slopes of the Pir Panjal range.
Key Features & Formation:
1. Formation: During the Pleistocene epoch, the Kashmir Valley was occupied by a vast lake (Lake Karewa). Tectonic movements uplifted the region, and as rivers like the Jhelum drained the lake, thick lake terrace deposits were left exposed as flat-topped tablelands or elevated plateaus.
2. Composition: They consist of alternating beds of clay, silt, sand, mud, and coarse glacial drift (moraines containing boulders).
3. Economic Significance: Karewa deposits are world-famous for the cultivation of saffron (Zafran), as well as high-quality almonds, apples, and walnuts.
Overview of Other Options:
• Terai: A marshy, wet, and forested belt located south of the Bhabar region in the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
• Khadar: The newer, highly fertile alluvial deposits found in the lower river floodplains, renewed annually by river floods.
• Bhabar: A narrow, porous pebble-strewn belt lying parallel to the Shiwalik foothills, formed by mountain streams descending into the plains.
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