Geography (Part-5) (CDS-Solved Paper)

Landforms produced by chemical weathering of carbonate rocks (like calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, etc.) by surface and sub-surface water are called Karst topography.
Stalagmites are calcareous columns of dripstones growing upward from the cave floor.
Lapies are highly ridged and rough surface of limestone lithology characterised by low ridges and pinnacles, narrow clefts and numerous solution holes.
Sinkholes are formed when chemically active rainwater dissolves limestones and other carbonate rocks along their joints, thus forming numerous holes.
Caves are the most significant landforms produced by erosional work of groundwater in limestore lithology. They are voids of large dimension below the ground surface.

The correct sequence of given oil refineries from West to East is Koyali (Gujarat), Kochi (Kerala), Panipat (Haryana), Mathura (U.P). Koyali refinery is located near Vadodara (Gujarat) is the second largest refinery owned by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL).

Kochi refinery is located in Kerala, is the largest public sector refinery in India. It is under Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). Panipat refinery is located in Haryana, is the largest refinery owned by IOCL. Mathura refinery is located in Uttar Pradesh. It is also owned by IOCL.

The difference between duration of day and night is least near the Equator and progressively increases away from it. The tilt of the Earth’s axis and its path around the Sun is the reason for this difference.

Near equator, the lengths of days and nights are almost equal throughout the year. While, towards poles length of days are very long during summers, and very short during winters.

The demographic transition consists of four stages:
Stage I High death rate and birthrate, resulting in low growth rate of population. The society is primarily agrarian.
Stage II Birth rate continues to remain high, but there is substantial fall in death rates leading to accelerated growth of population. There is gradual attainment of economic development.
Stage III Alongwith low death rate, country also experiences the fall in the birthrate. Consequently, there is a fall in the rate of growth of population. The country starts to experience the change in the structure of economy from purely agrarian to an industrialised one.
Stage IV This stage is characterised by low birth and death rates. As a result, population growth rate is also low. The economy of the the country is purely industrialised.
Thus, demographic transition throws light on changes in birthrate and death rate and consequently on the growth rate of population.

Vishakhapatnam is the deppest land locked port of India. Ennore port is known for being privately developed. Mumbai port is one of the busiest on West coast. Haldia (Kolkata) is a riverine port.

Srisailam Dam is constructed across the Krishna River in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh.
Sabarigiri Hydro Project is located at Moozhiyar, Pathanamthitta District of Kerala.
Hirakud Project is located on Mahanadi River in Sambalpur, Odisha.
Sileru Project is situated on river Sileru on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Biodiversity is richer in tropical regions because tropical environment is less reasonable, relatively more constant, get more amount of solar radiation. It remained relatively undisturbed in the part when glaciation occurred in temperate regions.

Correct matches are
Bhakra Nangal – Sutlej
Dul Hasti – Chandra
Hirakud – Mahanadi
Tehri – Bhagirathi
Bhakra Nangal Dam is a concerete gravity dam on the Sutlej river in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. In terms of quantity of water, it is the third largest reservoir in India. It was described as ‘New temple of resurgent India’, by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Nangal Dam is another dam in Punjab downstream of Bhakra dam. However, sometimes both the dams together are called ‘Bhakara-Nangal’ Dam though they are two separate dam Dul Hasti Dam is a gravity dam situated on the Chandra river (a tributary of Chenab river) in the Kishtwar district of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state. It is used for producing hydroelectric power.

Hirakud dam is bult across Mahanadi river in Odisha. It is India’s largest dam
Tehri dam is the highest dam in India and one of the highest in the world. It is situated on Bhagirathi river near Tehri in Uttarakhand. It is a multipurpose rock and Earth fill embankment dam.

Veliconda hills is a range of mountains that form part of the Eastern Ghats. Veliconda range is located in the South-Eastern part of Andhra Pradesh.

The Srisailam dam is a dam constructed across the Krishna river at Srisol Srisailam in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh and is the 3rd largest hydroelectric project in the country.