India’s Coastal Plains, Plateaus and Deserts

India’s Coastal Plains, Plateaus and Deserts

The Great Northern Plains

The northern plains are divided into three subdivisions.

• These are the Punjab and Haryana plains, the Ganga plains, and the Brahmaputra valley.

• The Ganga plains form the largest lowland drained by the Ganga and its tributaries.

• The Yamuna is the most important tributary of the Ganga.

Namami Gange

• According to ‘INDIA 2022,’ the "Namami Gange"— Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission programme was launched in 2015. This was at an indicative cost of Rs. 20,000 crores, as an umbrella programme with an aim to integrate previous and currently ongoing projects and new initiatives planned as part.

• In 2016, through the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order 2016, the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) was replaced with the National Ganga Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has also been converted into an authority.

• According to ‘INDIA-2020’ Namammi Gange Programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, comprising making villages on the bank of the river Ganga ODF and interventions sealing, including solid and liquid waste management.

• All 4470 villages located across 52 districts of Uttarakhand, U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal have since been made ODF with the active help of state governments. Now, the Ministry has taken up 24 villages on the bank of the river Ganga to transform them into Ganga Grams by the NMCG.

Tributaries of the Ganga

• The Ghaghara, the Gandak, the Kosi, etc. Are other tributaries of the Ganga.

• The Sone, which flows northward, and the Damodar are tributaries of the Ganga while the Chambal and the Betwa are tributaries of the Yamuna from the peninsular plateau.

• The Ganga plain has an extremely gentle slope. Parts of the plain are subject to floods in the rainy season. In the lower course, the Ganga divides itself into tributaries to form a large delta along with the Brahmaputra.

• The Punjab and Haryana plains represent a part of the Indus basin. A low watershed separates these plains from the Ganga plains.

The Great Peninsular Plateau

Anamudi or Anaimudi (2,695 m), situated in the Sahyadri range, is the highest peak of the peninsula.

The Deccan plateau includes the area to the south of the Vindhyas.
The western edge of the plateau rises steeply from the Arabian Sea to form the Western Ghats (which includes the Sahyadri).

The Deccan plateau slopes gently towards the east. The surface of the plateau is dissected into a rolling upland by several rivers. The elevation ranges from 300 to 900 metres.

The eastern edge of the plateau is known as the Eastern Ghats.

The Deccan Trap Region

The northwestern region of the Deccan Plateau is covered by nearly horizontal sheets of lava. This region is called the 'Deccan trap region.'

The Deccan plateau is drained by many long east-flowing rivers. These rivers originate in the Western Ghats, flow towards the east, and enter the Bay of Bengal.

The Godavari, the Mahanadi, the Krishn,  and the Cauvery are the major rivers that have built deltas along the coast.
The Narmada and the Tapti rivers are west-flowing and do not have deltas. Both rivers enter the Arabian Sea along the Gujarat coast.

Narmada and Sone rivers originate at Amarkantak.

Major Plateaus

• Marwar Upland

• Central Highland

• Bundelkhand

• Malwa Plateau

• Baghelkhand

• Chhotanagpur Plateau (Hazaribagh Plateau, Ranchi Plateau, and Raj Mahal Hills)

• Meghalaya Plateau

• Deccan Plateau

• Maharashtra Plateau

• Karnataka Plateau

• Telangana Plateau

• Chhattisgarh Plain

The Coastal Plains

Narrow strips of flat land on eastern and western coasts are known as the East Coastal Plain and the West Coastal Plain,n respectively.

The West Coastal Plain

• This plain, which lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, spreads from Gujarat in the north to Kanyakumari in the south.

• It is broader in the north and narrower in the south. This uneven plain has been dissected by man-made rivers.

• Its northern part, from Gujarat to Goa,  is called Konkan, while the southern part, from Goa to Kanyakumari, is known as Malabar.

• Several lagoons (saltwater lakes separated from the main sea by sand bars and spits) are found on the coastal plain.

• Important ports developed on its coast from north to south are: Kandla, Mumbai, New Jawahar Port Mumbai, Marmagao, Mangalore, and Cochin.

The East Coastal Plain

• This broader coastal plain spreads along the Bay of Bengal from Odisha in the north to Kanyakumari in the south.

• Its northern part is known as the Northern Circar plains, and the southern part is called the Oromandal Coast.

• Rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery form deltas on this plain.

• This coast is famous for rice cultivation. A large number of lagoons are also found here. Chilka and Pulicat lakes are fine examples of lagoons on our east coast.

The Great Indian Desert

It lies to the west of the Aravali range. It extends over a major part of Rajasthan and Sindh in Pakistan.

• This desert does not get much rain as the Aravali range runs parallel to the south-western monsoon winds.

• It is in the rain shadow area of the Bay of Bengal current.

• Lake Sambhar is found here.

The Island Groups

• Lakshadweep is a group of 36 coral islands in the Arabian Sea. It is located 300 km west of the coast of Kerala.

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of about 572 islands. Most of these islands are uninhabited.

• Andaman and Nicobar islands (of volcanic origin) are separated by the Ten Degree Channel because 10°N latitude passes through this place.

Mountain Peaks of Andaman and Nicobar

Climatic Diversity in the Indian Subcontinent

Due to the vastness of the country and a variety of relief features, there are regional variations in the climate of India.

• The interior of the country, especially in the north, has a continental type of climate.

• The coastal areas have a more equable climate.

• In mountainous areas, altitude determines the climate.

• There is a great deal of variation in the amount of annual rainfall.

  • In June, the highest temperature in Rajasthan may go up to 55°C.

  • In Drass and Kargil, the night temperature in January may go down to -45°C to -50°C.

• Mawsynram and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya have an annual rainfall of 11,873 mm (467 in) and 11,430 mm (450 in), respectively.

• In the Thar Desert, the annual rainfall is less than 500 mm (20 in).

• Along the Malabar Coast (Kerala), the annual range of temperature is about 3°C, but it is 20°C in Hissar, Ambala, and other parts of the interior.

Final Thoughts

India’s geography is a blend of diversity and uniqueness, with the Northern Plains offering fertile lands, the Deccan Plateau showcasing ancient formations, and the Thar Desert symbolizing arid beauty. The Eastern and Western Coastal Plains enhance trade and agriculture, while the mighty rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, and Godavari sustain millions of lives.

The island groups of Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep highlight the country’s strategic and ecological importance. Climatic variations, from scorching Rajasthan to rain-rich Meghalaya, make India one of the most geographically diverse nations.

Understanding these features helps appreciate how geography has shaped India’s culture, economy, and history over the centuries.