Which valley of the following rivers is known to deep Ravines ?
- (a)Narmada
- (b)Son
- (c)Chambal
- (d)Tapti
Correct — C, Chambal. The Chambal valley, across the Morena–Bhind–Sheopur tract of northern Madhya Pradesh (and extending into adjoining Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh), is famous for its badlands — deep, densely dissected ravines (locally called beehad) cut into soft alluvial soil by gully erosion. These 'Chambal ravines' are the classic Indian example of badland topography and historically sheltered dacoits.
- (a)Narmada — Wrong — the Narmada flows through a structural rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura; it is not associated with ravine badlands.
- (b)Son — Wrong — the Son flows in a broad structural valley north-east of the Maikal; it has no notable ravine belt.
- (d)Tapti — Wrong — the Tapti occupies a rift valley south of the Satpura, parallel to the Narmada, and is not known for ravines.
Ravines (badlands) are a gully-erosion landform: running water carves a maze of deep, steep-sided channels into soft, easily eroded sediment, usually where vegetation is sparse and rainfall is intense but seasonal. In India the Chambal valley is the textbook case, its beehad formed in thick alluvium.
Three of the four options (Narmada, Son, Tapti) are 'defined-valley' rivers; only the Chambal is tied to badland ravines. The Narmada is the tempting pick simply because it is MP's best-known river — but fame is not the criterion here, the ravine landform is.
- The Chambal ravines lie mainly in Morena, Bhind and Sheopur districts of MP
- Locally the ravines are called 'beehad'; the landform is badland topography
- They form by gully erosion of soft alluvium, worsened by deforestation and overgrazing
- The National Chambal Sanctuary along the river protects gharial, Gangetic dolphin and turtles
- Picking the Narmada just because it is MP's most famous river
- Confusing a rift/structural valley (Narmada, Tapti) with a ravine/badland formed by erosion
MPPSC repeatedly links the Chambal with ravines and soil erosion — its 2022 Mains paper asked a short note on soil erosion in the Chambal region of MP.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The 'beehad' badlands of Madhya Pradesh are chiefly associated with which river valley?
- (a)Betwa
- (b)Chambal
- (c)Tapti
- (d)Ken
Answer(b) Chambal — its Morena–Bhind–Sheopur tract is the classic ravine/badland belt.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Ravine (badland) topography such as that of the Chambal is formed primarily by which process?
- (a)Wind deposition
- (b)Gully erosion by running water
- (c)Glacial scouring
- (d)Marine deposition
Answer(b) Gully erosion by running water cutting into soft, sparsely vegetated alluvium.