CONTEMPORARY INDIA

1. SOUTHERMOST POINT OF THE INDIAN UNION : IT TIS THE

" INDIRA POINT " GOT SUBMERGED UNDER THE SEA

WATER IN 2004 DURING TSUNAMI.

2. SEVEN LARGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD : RUSSIA ,

CANADA , USA , CHINA , BRAZIL, AUSTRALIA , INDIA .

3. THE HIMALAYA AND NORTHEN PLAINS ARE MOST

RECENT LANDFORM. NOTHEN PLAINS ARE FORMED

OF ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS. PENINSULAR PLATEAU

COMPOSED OF IGNEOUS AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS.

4. PIR PANJAL RANGE FORMS THE LONGEST AND THE MOST

RECENT RANGE.

5. DHAULA DHAR RANGE AND MAHABHARAT RANGE

CONSIST OF FAMOUS VALLEY OF KASHMIR AND

KULLU , KANGRA IN HIMANCHAL PRADESH.

6. THE LONGITUDINL VALLEY BETWEEN LESSER HIMALAYA

AND SHIWALIKS ARE KNOWN AS " DUNS ".

DEHRA DUN , KOTLI DUNS AND PATLI DUNS ARE

WELL KNOWN DUNS.

7. THE PART OF HIMALAYA LYING BETWEEN SATLUJ AND

KALI RIVER IS KNOWN AS " KUMAON HIMALAYA " .

8. THE KALI AND TISTA RIVER DEMARCATE THE

" NEPAL HIMALAYA ".

9. THE DIHANG AND TISTA RIVER DEMARCATE THE

" ASSAM HMALAYA ".

10. " MAJULI " IN THE BRAHMPUTRA RIVER IS THE LARGEST

INHABITED RIVERINE ISLAND IN THE WORLD.

11. THE WESTERN PART OF THE NORTHEN PALIN IS

REFFERED TO AS PANJAB PLAIN , FORMED BY THE

INDUS AND ITS TRIBUTRIES: THE JHELUM , THE

CHINAB , THE RAVI , THE BEAS AND THE SATLUJ ,

ORIGINATE IN THE HIMALAYA. THIS SECTION OF

PLIN IS DOMINATED BY THE DOABS.

12. THE NORTHEN PLAIN CAN BE DIVIDED IN TO FOUR

REGION..........................................................................

A . BHABAR : RIVER AFTER DECENDING FROM

THE MOUNTAINS DEPOSITS " PEBBLES

[ FRAGMENTED ROCKS ] " IN A NARROW BELT,

LYING PARALLEL TO THE SLOP OF THE

SHIWALIKS. IT IS KNOWN AS ' BHABAR ' , ALL THE

STREAMS DISAPPEAR IN THE BHABAR BELT.

B. TERAI : SOUTH OF THIS BELT , THE STREAMS

AND THE RIVER RE-EMERGED AND CREATE A WET ,

SWEMPY AND MARSHY REGION ,KNOWN AS TERAI.

THIS WAS A THICKY FORESTED REGION FULL OF

WILD LIFE. " DUDHWA NATIONAL PARK " SITUATED

IN THIS REGION .

C. BHANGAR : THE LARGEST PART OF THE

NORTHEN PLAINS IS FORMED OF OLDER ALLUVIUM.

THEY LIE ABOVE THE FOOD PLAINS OF THE RIVER .

THIS PART IN KNOWN AS ' BHANGAR ' . THE SOIL IN

THIS REGION CONTAINS CALCAREOUS DEPOSITS

LOCALLY KNOWN AS KANKAR. THE NEWER ,

YOUNGER DEPOSITS OF THE OF THE FLOOD PLAINS

ARE CALLED ' KHADAR ' . THEY ARE RENEWED

ALMOST EVERY YEAR AND SO ARE FERTILE.

13. THE WESTERN GHATS AND THE EASTERN GHATS MARKS

THE WESTERN AND THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE

DECCAN PLATEAU. THE WESTERN GHAT IS HIGHER

THAN THE EASTERN GHAT. THERE AVERAGE

ELEVATION IS 900 TO 1600 METER AGAINST 600

METER OF THE EASTERN GHAT. EASTERN GHAT

STRETCH FROM MAHANADI VALLEY TO THE NILGIRI

IN THE SOUTH . THE EASTERN GHAT IS

DISCONTINEOUS AND IRREGULAR AND DISSECTED

BY THE RIVER DRAINING INTO BAY OF BENGAL.

14. THE WESTERN GHAT CAUSE THE OROGRAPHIC RAIN

[ CAUSE BY THE HINDERENCE OF MOUNTAIN ] BY

FACING THE RAIN BEARING MOIST WIND TO RAISE

ALONG THE WESTERN SLOP OF THE GHAT.

15. THE HIGHT OF THE WESTERN GHAT PROGRESSIVELY

INCREASES FROM NORTH TO SOUTH . THE HIGHEST

PEAK INCLUDE THE ANAI MUDI ( 2.695) AND DADA

BETA ( 2,635 ). MAHENDRA GHAT ( 1,501) IS THE

HIGHEST PEAK IN THE EASTERN GHAT. SHEVROY

HILLS AND JAVADI HILLS ARE LOCATED TO THE

SOUTH -EAST OF THE EASTERN GHAT.

16. THE FAMOUS HILL STATION " UDAGAMANDALAM "

POPULARLY KNOWN AS " OOTY " AND "KODAIKANAL"

ARE SITUATED IN WESTERN GHAT.

17. ONE OF THE DISTINCT FEATURE OF THE PENINSULAR

PLATEAU IS THE BLACK SOIL AREA KNOWN AS

" DECEAN TRAP ". THIS IS OF VOLCANIC ORIGION

HANCE THE ROCKS ARE IGNEOUS.

18. THE INDIAN DESERT: LIES TOWARDE THE

WESTERN MARGIN OF THE ARAVALI HILLS.

LUNI IS THE ONLY LARGE RIVER IN THIS REGION.

BARCHANS [ CRESCENT i.e. ARC SHAPED DUNES ]

COVER LARGER AREA BUT LONGITUDINAL DUNES

BECOME MORE PROMINANT NEAR INDO PAK

BOUNDRY.

19. THE COASTAL PLAINS : THE COASTAL PLAIN IS

RUNNING ALONG THE ARABIAN SEA ON THE WEST

AND BAY OF BENGAL ON THE EAST. THE WESTERN

COAST SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE WESTERN GHAT

AND THE AREBIAN SEA , IS A NARROW PLAIN . IT

CONSIST OF THREE SECTION-----------------------------------------

A. THE NORTHEN PART IS KNOWN AS KONKAN

( MUMBAI --- GOA ) .

B. THE CENTRAL STRETCH IS CALLED THE

" KANNAD PLAIN " .

C. THE SOUTHERN STRETCH IS REFFERED TO AS

THE " MALABAR COAST ".

20. THE PLAINS i.e. EASTERN COAST ALONG THE BAY OF

BENGAL ARE WIDE AND LEVEL.

21. IN THE NORTHEN PART OF THE EASTERN COAST IS

KNOWN AS THE " NORTHEN CIRCAR " .

22. IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE EASTERN COAST IS

KNOWN AS THE " COROMANDEL COAST " .

23. LARGE RIVER AS MAHANADI , KRISHNA , KAVERI ,

GODAVERI HAVE FORMED EXTENSIVE DELTA ON

THIS COAST.

24. " LAKE CHILAKA " IS THE IMPORTENT FEATURE ALONG

THE EASTERN COAST. IT IS THE LARGEST SALT

WATER LAKE IN THE INDIA AND SITUATED IN ORISSA

TO THE SOUTH OF MAHANADI DELTA.

25. THE ISLAND : LAKSHADWEEP ISLAND GROOUP IS

LYING CLOSE TO THE MALABAR COAST OF KERALA.

COMPOSED OF SMALL CORAL ISLAND. EARLIER THEY

WERE KNOWN AS " LACCADIVE MINICOY AND

AMINDIVE ". IN 1973 THESE WERE NAMED AS

" LAKSHADWEEP ". THE " PITTI ISLAND " WHICH IS

UNINHABITED HAS THE BIRD SANCTUARY.

26. INDIA'S ONLY ACVTIVE VOLCANO IS FOUND ON

" BARREN ISLAND " IN ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR

GROUP OF ISLAND.

27. NORTHEN MOUNTAIN : MAJOR SOURCE OF

WATER AND FOREST WELTH.

28. THE NORTHEN PALINS : ARE THE GRANARIES

OF THE COUNTRY.THEY PROVIDE THE BASE OF

EARLY CIVILISATION.

29. THE PLATEAU : IS A STORE HOUSE OF A MINERALS.

WHICH HAS PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE

INDUSTRIALISATION OF THE COUNTRY .

30. THE COASTAL REGION AND THE ISLAND :

PROVIDE SITE FOR FISHING AND THE PORT

ACTIVITY.

DRAINAGE

1. DRAINAGE : DESCRIBE THE RIVER SYSTEM OF AN

AREA . SMALL STREAMS FLOWING FROM DIFFERENT

DIRECTION COME TOGETHER TO FORM THE MAIN

RIVER, WHICH ULTIMATELY DRAINS IN TO LARGE

WATER BODY. THE AREA DRAINED BY THE SINGLE

RIVER SYSTEM IS CALLED " DRAINAGE BASIN ".

ANY ELEVATED AREA SUCH AS MOUNTAIN OR AN

UPLAND , SEPARATES THE TWO DRAINAGE BASIN ,IS

KNOWN AS " WATER DIVIDE ".

2. THE WORLD'S LARGEST DRAINAGE BASIN IS OF THE

" AMAZON BASIN ".

3. THE INDIAN RIVERS ARE DIVIDED IN TO TWO MAJOR

GROUP................................THE HIMALAYA RIVERS

......................................... .THE PENINSULAR RIVERS.

4. MOST OF THE HIMALAYA RIVERS ARE " PERENNIAL " i.e.

THEY HAVE WATER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FROM

RAIN AS WELL AS FROM MELTED SNOW. THE TWO

MAJOR HIMALAYAN RIVERS INDUS AND

BRAHMAPUTRA ORIGINATE FROM THE NORTH OF

THE MOUNTAIN RANGE. THEY HAVE CUT THROUGH

THE MOUNTAINS MAKING " GORGE (NARROW

VALLEY) ".

5. DRAINAGE PATTERN : THE STREAMS WITH IN A

DRAINAGE BASIN FORM CERTAIN PATTERN

DEPENDING UPON THE SLOPE OF LAND , UNDER

LYING ROCKS AS WELL AS THE CLIMATIC

CONDITION OF THE AREA. THEY ARE ...........................

( A ) DENDRITIC : IT DEVELOPS WHERE THE

STREAMS FOLLOWS THE SLOP OF TERRAIN .THE

STREAMS WITH ITS TRIBUTARIES RESEMBLES THE

BRANCHES OF A TREE . .

( B ) TRELLIS PATTERN : RIVERS JOINED BY

ITS RIBUTARIES AT APPROXIMATELY RIGHT ANGLE .

IT DEVELOPS WHERE HARD AND SOFT ROCKS EXIST

PARALLEL TIO EACH OTHER. .

( C ) RECTANGULAR PATTERN : IT

DEVELOPS ON A STRONGLY JOINTED ROCKY

TERRAIN. .

( D ) RADIAL PATTERN : IT DEVELOPS WHEN

STREAMS FLOW IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION FROM A

CENTRAL PEAK.

6. RIVER SYSTEM : THE MAJOR HIMALAYA RIVERS

ARE INDUS , BRAHMAPUTRA AND GANGA. THESE ARE

LOND AND JOINED BY THE MANY TRIBUTARIES.

A RIVER ALONG WITH ITS TRIBUTARIES MAY BE

CALLED " RIVER SYSTEM ".

7. THE INDUS RIVER SYSTEM : INDUS RIVER RISES

IN TIBET NEAR LAKE MANSAROVER , FLOWING WEST

AND ENTERS INDIA IN THE LADAKH DISTRICT OF

J&K. SEVERAL TRIBUTARIES ZASKER , SHYOK ,

NUBRA , HUNZA , GILGIT , JOIN IT IN KASHMIR

REGION . IT FLOWS THROUGH BALTISTAN AND

GILGIT AND EMERGES AT ATTOCK. SATLUJ , RAVI ,

CHINAB , JHELUM JOIN TOGETHER TO ENTER THE

INDUS NEAR " MITHANKOT " IN PAKISTAN. THE

TOTEL LENGHT OF THE COURSE OF THE INDUS

RIVER ABOUT 2900 K.M.

8. INDUS WATER TREATY [1960] : ACCORDING TO

THE REGULATION OF THE INDUS WATER TREATY

( AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARTIES ) INDIA CAN USE

ONLY 20% OF THE TOTEL WATER CARRIED BY

INDUS RIVER SYSTEM . THE WATER USED FOR

IRRIGATION IN THE PANJAB , HARYANA AND

SOUTHERN AND THE WESTERN PART OF THE

RAJASTHAN.

9. THE GANGA RIVER SYSTEM : THE HEAD WATER

OF THE GANGA CALLED " BHAGIRATHI " IS FED BY

THE " GANGOTRI GLACIER " AND JOINED BY THE

" ALAKNANDA " AT DEVAPRAYAG IN UTTARANCHAL.

AT HARIDWAR GANGA EMERGES FROM MOUNTAIN

ON THE PLAIN. THERE ARE MANY TRIBUTARIES OG

GANGA. THE RIVER YAMUNA RISES FROM THE

" YAMUNOTRI GLACIER " IN THE HIMALAYA ,FLOWS

PARALLEL TO THE GANGA AND MEET GANGA AS A

" RIGHT BANK TRIBUTARIES " AT ALLAHABAD.

10. THE GHAGHARA , GANDAK AND KOSI RIES IN THE

" NEPAL HIMALAYA ", ARE THE OTHER TRIBUTARIES.

11. THE MAIN TRIBUTARIES WHICH COMES FROM THE

PENINSULAR UPLANDS , ARE THE " CHAMBAL " ,

" BETWA " AND " SON " RISE FROM THE SEMI ARID

AREA. THE GANGA FLOWS EASTWARDS TILL

FARAKKA IN WEST BENGAL , THE NORTHENMOST

POINT OF THE GANGA DELTA. THE RIVER

BIFURCATES HERE : THE BHAGIRTHI - HOOGHLY

( DISTRIBUTARY) FLOW SOUTHWARD THROUGH

DELTAIC PLAINS TO THE BAY OF BENGAL .

THE MAIN STREAM , FLOWS SOUTHWARDS IN TO

BANGLADESH AND JOIINED BY THE BRAHMAPUTRA,

FLOWS IN TO BAY OF BENGAL. THE DELTA FORMED

BY THESE RIVER IS KNOWN AS "SUNDERBAN DELTA"

IT IS THE WORLDS LARGEST AND THE FASTEST

GROWING DELTA ALSO THE HOME OF ROYAL

BENGAL TIGER. THE LENGTH OF THE GANGA

ARROUND 2500 K.M.

12. " AMBALA " IS LOCATED ON THE WATER DIVIDE BETWEEN

THE INDUS AND THE GANGA RIVER SYSTEM.

13. THE PLAIN BETWEEN THE AMBALA AND THE SUNDERBAN

IS APPROX 1800 K.M.

14. THE BRAHMPUTRA RIVER SYSTEM :

BRAHMPUTRA RISES IN " TIBET " EAST OF

MANSAROVER LAKE VERY CLOSE TO THE SOURCE

OF THE SATLUJ AND INDUS. IT IS SLIGHTLY LONGER

THAN THE SATLUJ. MOST OF ITS COURSE LIES

OUTSIDE OF THE INDIA AFTER REACHING TO THE

" BARWA NAMCHA "(7757 M)" IT TAKES U TURN AND

ENTER INDIA IN " ARUNACHAL PRADESH " THROUGH

THE GORGE. HERE IT IS CALLED " DIHANG" AND

JOINED BY THE DIHANG, THE LOHIT AND MANY

OTHER TRIBUTARIES TO FORM BRAHMPUTRA IN

ASSAM.

15. BRAHMPUTRA IS KNOWN AS " TSANG PO " IN TIBET AND

" JAMUNIA " IN BENGLADESH.

16. THE PENINSULAR RIVERS : THE MAIN

WATER RESOURCE IN THE PENINSULAR INDIA IS

FORMES BY THE WESTERN GHAT. MOST OF THE

MAJOR RIVER OF THE PENINSULA SUCH AS

MAHANADI , GODAVERI, KRISHNA , KAVERI ARE

FLOWS EASTWARDS AND DRAIN IN TO THE BAY OF

BENGAL. THESE RIVER MAKE DELTA AT THEIR

MOUTH. THE DRAINAGE BASIN OF THE PENINSULAR

RIVERS ARE VERY SMALL.

17. THE NARMADA BASIN : NARMADA RISES IN THE

" AMARKANTAK " IN THE MADHYA PRAEDSH. IT

FLOWS TOWARDS WEST IN THE RIFT VALLEY,

FORMED DUE TO FAULTING. ON IT'S WAY TO SEA IN

CREATES MANY PICTURESQUE LOCATION , LIKE :-

" THE MARBLE ROCKS " NEAR JABALPUR WHERE

NARMADA FLOWS IN A DEEP GORGE AND

" THE DHUADHAR FALLS " WHERE THE RIVER

PLUNGES [ MOVE SUDDENLY DOWNWARDS ] OVER

STEEP ROCKS. THE NARMADA BASIN COVERS PART

OF MADHYA PRADESH AND GUJARAT.

18. THE TAPTI BASIN : TAPTI RISES IN THE

" SATPURA RANGE " IN THE " BETUL " DISTRICT OF

MADHYA PRADESH. IT ALSO FLOWS IN A RIFT

VALLEY PARALLEL TO THE NARMADA BUT IT IS

MUCH SHORTER IN LENGTH. THE TAPTI BASIN

COVERS PART OF MADHYA PRADESH , GUJARAT

AND MAHARASHTRA .

THE COASTAL PALIN BETWEEN WESTERN GHAT AND

THE ARBEAN SEA ARE VERY NARROW , HANCE

COASTAL RIVERS ARE VERY SHORT . THE MAIN

WEST FLOWING RIVERS ARE SABARMATI [ GUJRAT &

SOUTH RAJASTHAN ] , MAHI [ WEST MADHYA

PDARESH , EAST GUJRAT & SOUTH RAJASTHAN ] ,

BHARATPUZHA AND PERIYAR.

19. THE GODAVARI BASIN : THE LARGEST

PENINSUALR RIVER. IT RISES FROM THE SLOPE OF

THE WESTERN GHAT IN THE " NASHIK " DISTRICT OF

MAHARASHTRA. ITS LENGTH IS ABOUT 1500 K.M.

AND DRAIN INTO THE BAY OF BENGAL .DRAINAGE

BASIN IS ALSO THE LARGEST AMONG THE

PENINSULAR RIVERS. THE BASIN COVERS PART OF

MAHARASHTRA [50%] ,MADHYA PRADESH ,

CHHATTISGARH , ORISSA AND ANDHRA PRADESH. IT

IS JOINED BY THE MANY TRIBUTRIES LIKE : --------

FROM MP SIDE WAINGANGA , WARDHA , PURNA ,

PENGANGA , PRANHITA , MANJRA . THE MANJRA ,

WAINGANGA AND PAINGANGA TRIBUTRIES ARE

VERY LARGE. BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF THE

GODAVARI RIVER AND THE AREA COVER IT IS ALSO

KNOWN AS " DAKSHIN GANGA ".

20. THE MAHANADI BASIN : THE MAHANADI RISES

IN THE HIGHLANDS OF THE CHHATTISGARH. IT

FLOWS THROUGH ORISSA TO REACH THE BAY OF

BENGAL. THE BASIN COVERS PART OF

MAHARASHTRA , JHARKHAND , CHHATTISGARH ,

ORISSA .THE LENGTH IS ABOUT 860 K.M.

21. THE KRISHNA BASIN : RISING FROM THE

" SPRING" SHIVAJI SAGAR, NEAR MAHABALESHWAR

MAHARASHTRA. THE KRISHNA FLOWS ABOUT 1400

K.M AND REACHES TO THE BAY OF BENGAL.

THE TUNGABHADRA , THE KOYANA ,

THE GHATPRABAH , THE MUSI AND THE BHIMA

ARE SOME OF ITS TRIBUTRIES. ITS DRAINAG BASIN

IS SHARED BY THE MAHARASHTRA , KARNATAKA ,

ANDHRA PRADESH.

22. THE KAVERI BASIN:RISES IN THE " BRAHMAGRI"

RANGE OF THE WESTERN GHAT AND IT REACHES

THE BAY OF BENGAL IN SOUTH OF " CUDDALORE '' IN

TAMILNADU . THE LENGTH IS ABOUT 760 K.M.

ITS MAIN TRIBUTARIES ARE ---------THE AMRAVATI ,

THE HEMAVATI , THE BHAVANI , THE KABINI.

ITS BASIN DRAIN PARTS OF KARNATAKA , KERALA

AND TAMILNADU.

23. THE RIVER KAVERI MAKES THE SECOND BIGGEST

WATERFALL IN INDIA . IT IS KNOWN AS

" SIVASAMUDRAM ".

24. NATIONAL RIVER CONSERVATION PLAN

[ NRCP] : THE ACTIVITY OF GANGA ACTION

PLAN [ GAP] PHASE 1 , INITIATED IN 1985. ,

WERE DECLEARED CLOSE ON 31ST MARCH 2000.

THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE

" NATIONAL RIVER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY "

REVIVED THE PROGRES OF GAP. .

THE GANGA ACTION PLAN PHASE-II , HAS BEEN

MERGED WITH THE NRCP. THE EXPENDED NRCP

NOW COVER 152 TOWNS , LOCATED ALONG 27

INTERSTATE RIVERS IN 16 STATE.

CLIMATE

1. CLIMATE: SUM OF TOTEL WEATHER CONDITION AND

VARIATION OVER A LARGE AREA FOR A LONG

PERIOD OF TIME [ >30YEARS ].

2. WEATHER: REFERS TO THE STATE OF THE ATMOSPHERE

OVER AN AREA AT ANY POINT OF TIME.

3. MONSOON: REFERS TO THE SEASONAL REVERSAL IN THE

WIND DIRECTION DURING A YEAR.

4. THAR DESERT: RAJSTHAN --THE DAY TEMPERATURE MAY

RISE TO 50OC AND DROP TO 15OC THE SAME

NIGHT.

5. IN INDIA , PRECIPITATION IS MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF

SNOWFALL IN THE UPPER PART OF THE HIMALAYA.

IT RAINS OVER THE REST OF THE COUNTRY .

THE ANNUAL PRECIPITATION VARIES FROM OVER

400 CM IN MEGHALYA TO LESS THAN 10 CM TO

LADAKH AND WESTERN RAJASTHAN .

MOST OF THE PART OF THE COUNTRY RECEIVE

RAINFALL FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER. BUT SOME

PART LIKE TAMILNADU COAST GETS MOST OF ITS

RAIN DURING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.

6. THE COASTAL AREA EXPERIENCE LESS CONTRASTS IN

TEMPERATURE CONDITION.

7. SEASONAL CONTRAST ARE MORE IN THE INTERIOR OF

THE COUNTRY.

8. THERE IS DECREASE IN THE RAINFALL GENERALY FROM

EAST TO WEST IN THE NORTHEN PALIN.

9. CLIMATIC CONTROL: THERE ARE SIX

MAJOR CONTROLS OF THE CLIMATE OF ANY PLACE---

[ A ] LATITUDE : DUE TO THE CURVATURE OF THE

EARTH THE AMOUNT OF THE SOLAR ENERGY

RECEIVED VARIES ACCORDING TO THE LATITUDE. AS

A RESULT , AIR TEMPERATURE DECREASES FROM

EQUATOR TO THE POLE .

[ B ] ALTITUDE : AS WE MOVE FROM SURFACE TO

THE HIGHER ALTITUDE THE ATMOSPHERE BECOME

LESS DENSE AND TEMPERATURE DECREASES . THE

HILLS ARE THEREFORE COOLERS DURING SUMMER

[ C ] PRESSURE AND THE WIND SYSTEM :

PRESSURE AND THE WIND SYSTEM OF ANY AREA

DEPENDS UPON THE ALTITUDE AND THE LATITUDE

OF THE PLACE. THUS IT INFLUENCE THE

TEMPERATURE AND THE RAINFALL PATTERN .

[ D ] DISTANCE FROM THE SEA : THE SEA

EXERTS THE MODERATE INFLUENCE ON THE

CLIMATE. AS THE DISTANCE FROM THE SEA

INCREASES , IT'S MODERATING INFLUENCE

DECREASES AND THE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE EXTREME

WEATHER CONDITION . THIS CONDITION IS KNOWN

AS " CONTINNENTALITY " ( VERY HOT DURING

SUMMER AND VERY COLD DURING SUMMER ) .

[ F ] OCEAN CURRENT : OCEAN CURRENT ALONG

THE ONSHORE WIND [ BLOWING TOWARDS THE LAND

FROM THE SEA ] AFFACT THE CLIMATE OF THE

COASTAL AREA . .

[ G ] RELIEF : IT TOO PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN

DETERMINING THE CLIMATE OF THE PLACE . HIGH

MOUTAINS ACT AS A BARRIER FOR HOT OR COLD

WIND. THEY MAY ALSO CAUSE PRECIPITAION IF

THEY ARE HIGH ENOUGH AND LIE IN THE PATH OF

RAIN BEARING WINDS.

10. FACTOR AFFACTING INDIA'S CLIMATE :

FOLLOWING SIX FACTOR AFFACT AS FOLLOWS-----------

[ A ] LATITUDE : THE TROPIC OF CANCER PASSES

THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY FROM

RANN OF KUCHCHH GUJARAT IN THE WEST TO

MIZORAM IN THE EAST. ALMOST HALF OF THE

COUNTRY , LYING SOUTH OF THE TROPIC OF

CANCER , BELONGING TO THE TROPICAL AREA. THE

REST HALF OF THE AREA , LYING NORTH OF THE

TROPIC OF CANCER , BELONGING TO THE

SUBTROPICAL AREA . THEREFORE INDIA'S CLIMATE

HAS CHARACTERISTIC OF TROPICAL AS WELL AS

SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE .

[ B ] ALTITUDE : INDIA HAS MOUNTAIN TO THE

NORTH . INDIA HAS A VAST COASTAL AREA HAVE

MODERATE ELEVATION. THE HIMALAYAS PREVENT

THE COLD WINDS FROM CENTRAL AREA FROM

ENTERING TO THE SUBCONTINENT. THUS

EXPERIENCE COMPARATIVELY MILDER WINTERS AS

COMPARED TO CENTRAL ASIA .

[ C ] PRESSURE AND WIND SYSTEM :

THE CLIMATE AND ASSOCIATED WEATHER

CONDITION IN INDIA ARE GOVERNED BY THE

FOLLOWING ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS :-------------------

.............. PRESSURE AND SURFACE WIND .

.............. UPPER AIR CIRCUALION .

.............. WESTERN CYCLONIC DISTURBANCE AND

TROPICAL CYCLONES .

INDIA LIES IN THE REGION OF NORTH EASTERLY

WINDS. THESE WINDS ORIGINATE FROM

" SUBTROPICAL HIGH - PRESSURE BELT " OF THE

NORTHEN HEMISPHERE. THEY BLOW SOUTH , GET

DEFLECTED TO THE RIGHT DUE TO THE " CORIOLIS "

FORCES AND MOVE ON TOWARDS THE EQUITORIAL

LOW PRESSURE LOW PRESSURE BELT. GENERALLY ,

THESE WINDS CARRY " VERY LITTLE " MOISTURE AS

THEY ORIGINATE AND BLOW OVER LAND.

THEREFORE THEY BRING LITTLE OR NO RAIN.

HANCE , INDIA SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ARID LAND

BUT NOT SO , WHY ? .

CORIOLIS FORCE : AN APPARENT FORCE

CAUSED BY THE EARTH'S ROTATION . THE CORIOLIS

FORCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFLECTING WINDS

TOWARDS THE RIGHT IN THE " NORTHEN

HEMISPHERE " . TOWARDS THE LEFT IN THE

" SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE " . THIS IS ALSO KNOWN

AS " FERREL'S LOW ".

11. THE PRESSURE AND WIND CONDITION OVER THE INDIA IS

UNIQUE. DURING WINTER , THERE IS A HIGH

PRESSURE - AREA NORTH OF THE HIMALAYA . COLD

DRY WINDS BLOW FROM THIS REGION TO THE

LOW - PRESSURE AREA OVER THE OCEAN TO THE

SOUTH. IN SUMMER , LOW PRESSURE

DEVELOPS OVER INTERIOR ASIA AS WELL AS

OVER NORTH - WEST INDIA AND CAUSE COMPLETE

REVERSAL OF WIND DURING SUMER . AIR MOVES

FROM HIGH PRESSURE AREA OVER THE SOUTHERN

INDIAN OCEAN , IN A SOUTH - EASTERLY DIRECTION ,

CROSSES THE EQUATOR AND TURNS RIGHT

TOWARDS THE LOW PRESSURE AREAS OVER THE

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT. THESE ARE KNOWN AS

'' SOUTH - WEST MONSOON WIND ''. THESE WIND

BLOW OVER THE WARM OCEAN , GATHER MOISTURE

AND BRING WIDE SPREAD RAINFALL OVER THE MAIN

LAND OF INDIA .

THE UPPER AIR CIRCULATION IN THIS REGION IS

DOMINATED BY WESTERLY FLOW . AN IMPORTENT

COMPONENT OF THIS FLOW IS THE '' JET STREAM ''.

THE JET STREAMS ARE LOCATED APPROX OVER

27O30'' N OF LATITUDE. THERFORE THEY ARE

KNOWN AS " SUBTROPICAL WESTERLY JET STREAM"

OVER INDIA , THESE JET STREAMS BELOW SOUTH OF

THE HIMALAYA THROUGH OUT THE YEAR EXCEPT IN

SUMMER. IN SUMMER , SUBTROPICAL WESTERLY JET

STREAM MOVES NORTH OF THE HIMALAYA WITH

APPERENT MOVEMENT OF THE SUN .

AN EASTERLY JET STREAM , CALLED SUBTROPICAL

EASTERLY JET STREAM BLOWS OVER PENINSULAR

INDIA APPROX OVER 14O N DURING SUMMER.

12. JET STREAM : THERE ARE NARROW BELT OF HIGH

ALTITUDE (1200 M) WETERLY WINDS IN THE

TROPOSPHERE . THERE SPEED VARIES FROM ABOUT

110KM/H IN SUMMER TO ABOUT 180KM/H IN

WINTER. A NUMBER OF SEPARATE JET STREAM

HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BUT THE MOST CONSTANTS

ARE THE MID LATITUDE JET STREAM AND THE

SUBTROPICAL JET STREAM.

13. WESTERN CYCLONIC DISTURBANCES :

THESE ARE THE WEATHER PHENOMENA OF WINTER

MONTHS BROUGHT IN BY THE WESTERLY FLOW

FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION. THEY USUALLY

INFLUENCE THE WEATHER OF THE NORTH AND

NORTH - WESTERN REGION OF THE INDIA. TRPOICAL

CYCLONE OCCURS DURING THE MONSOON AS WELL

AS IN OCT - NOV AND ARE THE PART OF THE

EASTERLY FLOW WHICH AFFACT THE COASTAL

REGION OF THE COUNTRY.

14. INDIAN MONSOON : MONSOON ARE EXPERIENCED

IN THE TROPICAL AREA APPROX BETWEEN 20O N

20O S. FOLLOWING FACTS ARE IMPORTENT TO

UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM OF MONSOON-------------

[ A ] DIFFERENTIAL HEATING AND COOLING OF

LAND AND WATER : CREATES LOW PRESSURE ON

THE LAND MASS OF THE INDIA WHILE THE SEA

AROUND EXPERIENCE COMPARATIVELY HIGH

PRESSURE .

[ B ] THE SHIFT OF THE POSITION OF INTER

TROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE : IN SUMMER

OVER GANGA PLAIN ( THIS IS THE EQUATORIAL

TROUGH NORMALLY POSITIONED ABOUT 5ON OF

THE EQUATOR , ALSO KNOWN AS MONSOON TROUGH

DURING MONSOON SEASON. ) .

[ C ] THE PRESENCE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE

AREA , EAST OF MEDAGASKER : APPROX 20OS

OVER THE INDIAN OCEAN. THE INTENSITY AND THE

POITION AFFACTS THE INDIAN MONSOON .

[ D ] THE TIBETAN PLATEAU GETS INTENSELY

HEATED : DURING SUMMER WHICH RESULT IN

STRONG VERTICAL AIR CURRENT AND THE

FORAMTION OF THE LOW PRESSURE OVER THE

PLATEAU .

[ D ] THE MVEMENT OF THE WESTERLY JET

STREAM TO THE NORTH OF THE HIMALAYA AND

PRESENCE OF THE TROPICAL EASTERLY JET

STREAM OVER THE INDIAN PENINSULA.

15. THE INTER TROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE [ ITCZ ] :

IT IS A BROAD TROUGH [ AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ]

IN EQUATORIAL LATITUDES . THIS IS WHERE THE "

NORTH - EAST '' AND THE '' SOUTH -EAST '' TRADE

WIND CONVERGES. THIS CONVERGENCE ZONE LIES

MORE OR LESS PARALLEL TO THE EQUATOR BUT

MOVES NORTH OR SOUTH WITH THE APPERENT

MOVEMENT OF THE SUN.

16. CHANGE IN THE PRESSURE CONDITION OVER THE

SOUTHERN OCEAN ALSO AFFACT THE MONSOON.

NORMALLY WHEN TROPICAL EASTERN SOUTH

PACIFIC OCEAN EXPERIENCE HIGH PRESSURE , THE

TROPICAL EASTERN INDIAN OCEAN EXPERIENCE

LOW PRESSURE.

17. BUT IN CERTAIN YEARS , THERE IS A REVERSAL IN THE

PRESSURE CONDITION AND EASTERN SOUTH

PACIFIC OCEAN HAS LOWER PRESSURE , IN

COMPARISON TO THE TROPICAL EASTERN INDIAN

OCEAN .

THIS PERIODIC CHANGE IN THE PRESSURE

CONDITION IS KNOWN AS " SOUTHERN

OSCILLATION '' OR " SO ".

18. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PRESSURE OVER " TAHITI "

( PACIFIC OCEAN 18OS / 149OW ) AND THE

" DARWIN " NORTHEN AUSTRALIA ( INDIAN OCEAN

12O30''S / 131O E) , IS COMPUTED TO PREDICT

THE INTENSITY OF THE MONSOONS.

19. IF THE PRESSURE DIFFERENCE WERE NEGATIVE , IT

WOULD MEAN " BELOW AVERAGE AND LATE

MONSOON " .

20. A FEATURE IS CONNECTED WITH THE " SOUTHERN

OSCILLATION [SO] " IS THE '' EL-NINO '' . EVENT

DURING WHICH , A WARM OCEAN CURRENT THAT

FLOWS PAST THE " PERUVIAN COAST", IN PLACE OF

THE "COLD PERUVIAN CURRENT", EVERY 2 - 5 YEAR.

THE CHANGE IN THE PRESSURE CONDITION IS

CONNECTED TO THE '' EL-NINO '' . HANCE ,

PHENOMENON IS REFFERED TO AS " ENSO" .

[ EL -NINO OUTHERN OSCILLATION ] .

21. EL-NINO: THIS IS A NAME GIVEN TO THE " PERIODIC

DEVELOPMENT OF A WARM OCEAN CURRENT "

ALONG THE COAST OF PERU , AS A TEMPORARY

REPLACEMENT OF THE "COLD PERUVIAN CURRENT".

THE PRESENCE OF THE '' EL-NINO '' LEADS TO AN

INCREASE IN SEA - SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND

WEAKENING OF THE TRADE WIND IN THE REGION.

22. THE ONSET OF THE MONSOON AND THE

WITHDRAWAL : THE MONSOON , UNLIKE THE

TRADE WIND ( A PREVAILING TROPICAL WIND THAT

BLOWS TOWARD THE EQUATOR FROM THE

NORTHEAST IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE OR

FROM THE SOUTHEAST IN THE SOUTHERN

HEMISPHERE. THE TRADE WINDS ARE MAJOR

COMPONENTS OF THE GLOBAL WEATHER SYSTEM ,

THEY ARE STEADY WIND ) , THEY ARE NOT STEADY

WIND BUT ARE PULSATING IN NATURE, AFFACTED

BY THE DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERIC CONDITION

ENCOUNTERED BY IT, ON ITS WAY OVER THE WARM

TROPICAL SEAS. THE DURATION OF THE MONSOON

IS BETWEEN 100 TO 120 DAYS FROM EARLY JUNE

TO MID SEPTEMBER .

ARROUND THE TIME OF ITS ARRIVAL , THE NORMAL

RAINFALL INCREASES SUDDENLY AND CONTINEOUS

CONSTANTTLY FOR THE SEVERAL DAYS KNOWN AS

'' BRUST '' OF THE MONSOON AND CAN BE

DISTUNGISHED FROM PREMONSOON SHOWER.

23. THE MONSOON ARRIVES AT THE SOUTHERN TIPS OF THE

INDIAN PENINSULA. SUBSEQUENTLY , DIVEDED IN

TO TWO PART------------------------------------------------------------------

A . THE ARABEAN SEA BRANCH : REACHES

MUMBAI ABOUT 10 DAYS LATER. THIS IS FARELY

RAPID ADVANCE .BY MID JUNE IT REACHES OVER

" SAURASHTRA - KUCHCHH " AND THE CENTRAL

PART OF THE COUNTRY. .

B . THE BAY OF BENGAL BRANCH : IT REACHES

ASSAM RAPIDLY IN FIRST WEAK OF JUNE . THE

LOFTY MOUNTAIN CAUSE THE MONSOON WINDS TO

DEFLECT TOWARDS THE WEST OVER GANGA PLAINS.

24. THE ARBEAN SEA AND THE BAY OF BENGAL BRANCHES OF

THE MONSOON MERGE OVER THE

NORTH - WESTERN PART OF THE GANGA PALIN.

DELHI RECEIVES MONSOON SHOWERS FROM THE

BAY OF BENGAL BRANCHES BY THE END OF THE

JUNE .

25. BY THE FIRST WEAK OF THE JULY , WESTERN UTTAR

PRADEH , PANJAB , HARYANA AND EASTERN

RAJASTHAN EXPERIENCE THE MONSOON. BY MID

JULY MONSOON REACHES TO THE HIMACHAL

PRADESH AND REST PART OF THE COUNTRY.

25. WITHDRAWAL OR RETREAT OF THE MONSOON IS A

MORE GRADUAL PROCESS. THE WITHDRAWAL OF

THE MONSOON BEGINS IN THE " NORTH - WESTERN

" STATES OF INDIA BY EARLY SEPTEMBER

. BY MID OCTOBER , IT WITHDRAWS COMPLETELY

FROM THE " NORTHEN HALF OF THE PENINSULA ".

THE WITHDRAWAL FROM THE " SOUTHERN HALF " OF

26. THE PENINSULA IS FAIRLY RAPID. BY EARLY DECEMBER

THE MONSOON HAS WITHDRAW FROM THEE REST OF

THE COUNTRY.

27. THE ISLAND : RECEIVES VERY FIRST MONSOON SHOWERS.

28. THE SEASONS : THE COASTAL AREA DO NOT

EXPERIENCE MUCH VARIATION IN THE

TEMPERATURE THOUGH THERE IS VARIATION IN

THE RAIN FALL PATTERN .

FOUR MAIN SEASON CAN BE IDENTIFIED IN

INDIA................................................................................

( A ) COLD WEATHER SEASON ( WINTER ) :

IN THIS SEASON TEMPERATURE DECREASES FROM

SOUTH TO NORTH. DURING THIS SEASON

NORTH - EAST TRADE WINDS PREVIL OVER THE

COUNTRY THYE BLOW FROM LAND TO SEA , AND

HANCE FOR MOST PART OF THE COUNTRY , IT IS A

DRY SEASON .

A CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE OF THE COLD

WEATHER SEASON OVER THE NORTHE PLAINS IS

THE INFLOW OF CYCLONIC DISTURBANCE FROM THE

WEST AND THE NORTH - WEST . THESE LOW

PRESSURE SYSTEMS , ORIGINATE OVER THE

MEDITERRANEAN SEA AND WESTERN ASIA AND

MOVE IN TO INDIA WITH THE WESTERLY FLOW .

THESE CAUSES MUCH NEEDED WINTER RAIN OVER

THE PLAIN AND SNOW FALL IN THE MOUNTAIN .

ALTHOUGH TOTEL AMOUNT OF THE WINTER

RAINFALL LOCALLY KNOWN AS " MAHAWAT " SMALL.

( B ) HOT WEATHER SEASON ( SUMMER ) :

DUE TO THE APPRENT NORTHWARD MOVEMENT OF

THE SUN , GLOBAL HEAT BELTS SHIFTS NORTHWARD

FROM MARCH TO MAY , IT IS HOT WEATHER

SEASON. THE STRIKING FETURE IS THE '' LOO '' HOT

WIND BLOW DURING THE DAY OVER NORTH AND

NORTHWESTERN INDIA .

( C ) THE RAINY SEASON ( MONSOON ) : BY

THE EARKY JUNE , LOW PRESSURE CONDITION OVER

THE NORTHEN PLAIN , INTENSIFIES. IT ATTRACTS

THE TRADE WINDS OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.

THESE SOUTH - EAST TRADE WINDS ORIGINATE

OVER THE WARM SUB TROPICAL AREA OF THE

SOUTHERN SEA . THEY CROSSES THE EQUATOR AND

BLOW IN A SOUTH WESTERLY DORECTION ,

ENTERING AS THE INDIAN PENINSULA AS THE

SOUTH - WEST MONSOON. EARLY IN THE SEASON ,

THE WINDWARD SIDE OF THE WESTERN GHATS

RECEIVE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE DECCAN

PLATEAU AND THE PART OF THE MADHYA PRADESH,

ALSO RECEIVE SOME AMOUNT OF RAIN IN SPITE OF

LYING IN THE RAIN SHADOW AREA . RAIN FALL IN

THE GANGA VALLEY DECREASES FROM THE EAST TO

WEST .

( D ) RETARTING MONSOON ( TRANSITION

SEASON ) :WITH THE APPERENT MOVEMENT OF THE

SUN TOWARDS THE SOUTH , THE MONSOON TROUGH

OR LOW PRESSURE TROUGH OVER THE NORTHEN

PLAIN BECOME WEAK AND REPLACED BY A HIGH

PRESSURE SYSTEM . THE SOUTH - WEST MONSOON

WIND BECOME WEAK AND TART WITHDRAWING

GRADUALLY.THE WETTEST PLACE ON THE EARTH ,

'' MAWSYARAM '' SOUTHERN RANGE OF THE

'' KHASI HILL '' ALSO FFEMOUS FOR THE

STALAGMITE AND THE STALACTITE CAVES.

NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILD LIFE

1. INDIA IS THE TWELVE MEGA BIO DIVERSITY COUNTRY IN

THE WORLD. INDIA OCCUPIES THE TENTH PLACE IN

WORLD AND FOURTH IN ASIA IN PLANT DIVERSITY.

2. THE VIRGIN VEGETATION , WHICH ARE PURELY INDIAN

ARE KNOWN AS '' ENDEMIC '' OR INDEGENOUS

SPECIES BUT THOSE WHICH HAVE COME FROM

OUTSIDE INDIA ARE TERMED AS " EXOTIC PLANT ''.

3. THE TERM '' FLORA '' IS USED TO DENOTE A PLANT OF A

PERTICULAR REGION OR PERIOD.

4.