Question 5 from UPSC CSE 2023 - Geography

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake.
2. Krishna River directly feeds Kolleru Lake.
3. Meandering of Gandak River formed Kanwar Lake.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. Only one

Strategy: First, focus on physical geography linkage: Jhelum River passing through Wular Lake is a well-known fact, making statement 1 correct. For statement 2, recall that Kolleru Lake lies between Krishna and Godavari deltas, but is not directly fed by Krishna--secondary tributaries seasonally feed it. Statement 3 refers to Kanwar Lake, which is formed by the meandering of Burhi Gandak, not the main Gandak River, so the connection is factually inaccurate. Thus, only one statement is correct.

Key Info: ## Lake Details

### Wular Lake
*   Located in Jammu and Kashmir.
*   Among Asia's largest freshwater lakes.
*   Situated between Sopore and Bandipora.
*   Main source: Jhelum River, which passes directly through it.
*   Features the man-made Zaina Lank island.

### Kolleru Lake
*   Shallow, natural freshwater lake in Andhra Pradesh.
*   Situated between the deltas of the Krishna and Godavari rivers.
*   Primarily fed by seasonal streams Budameru and Tammileru, **not directly by the Krishna River.**
*   Serves as a flood-balancing reservoir.

### Kanwar Lake (Kanwar jheel)
*   Located in Bihar's Begusarai district.
*   Notable oxbow lake, formed by the meandering and cut-off process of the Burhi Gandak river (a major tributary of the Ganga), **not the main Gandak River.**
*   Recognized as Asia's largest freshwater oxbow lake.
*   Designated bird sanctuary.
*   **Oxbow Lake Definition:** A U-shaped body of water formed when a river creates a meander, which is then cut off from the main flow.
*   The Burhi Gandak rises in the Someshwar hills of Bihar and flows east before joining the Ganga.

## Summary of River-Lake Connections
*   **Wular Lake:** Traversed by the Jhelum River.
*   **Kolleru Lake:** Not directly fed by the Krishna River.
*   **Kanwar Lake:** Associated with the Burhi Gandak River, not the main Gandak River.

Answer

Option B: Only two

Answer

Option C: All three

Answer

Option D: None

Consider the following statements: Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake. Krishna River directly feeds Kolleru Lake. Meandering of Gandak River formed Kanwar Lake. How many of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements:

Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake.

Krishna River directly feeds Kolleru Lake.

Meandering of Gandak River formed Kanwar Lake.
How many of the statements given above are correct?