Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 12, 2025

Answer: D [None]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Siachen Glacier is a piedmont glacier located in the Karakoram Range of the Himalayas.

Statement 2 is correct: It is the major source of the Nubra River, a major tributary of the Shyok River.

Statement 3 is correct: The Siachen Glacier is considered the world’s highest battleground as India and Pakistan have fought for control of the Siachen Glacier. In 1984, India took full control of the glaciers under Operation Meghdoot.

Answer: C [1, 2 and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Himalayan rivers are perennial, meaning they flow throughout the year. They are fed by both rainfall (monsoons) and melted snow from the Himalayan glaciers, ensuring a continuous water supply.

Statement 2 is correct: The Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra are the three major river systems of the Himalayan drainage. Each system has numerous tributaries that drain the northern plains.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Yamuna River is not a tributary of the Indus. It is the largest tributary of the Ganga River, joining it at Prayagraj (Allahabad).

Statement 4 is correct: The Brahmaputra River originates in Tibet (China), where it is called Tsangpo, flows through India (Arunachal Pradesh and Assam), then through Bangladesh (as Jamuna), before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

Answer: D [The Western Ghats abruptly rise from the plains, leaving very little scope for the formation of lagoons along the entire length of the coast.]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Konkan Coast (stretching from Mumbai to Goa) is known for narrow coastal strips, estuaries, and backwaters, formed due to the submergence of the coastline.

Statement 2 is correct: The Malabar Coast (southern part of the western coastal plains) receives rainfall from both the Southwest monsoon (June–September) and the Northeast monsoon (October–December), making it one of the wettest regions in India.

Statement 3 is correct: The Gujarat Coast (including Kutch and Kathiawar) has a wide continental shelf and shallow waters, making it suitable for the development of ports and marine activities.

Statement 4 is NOT correct: While the Western Ghats do rise abruptly from the western coastal plains, lagoons and backwaters are found in some sections, especially along the Kerala coast (e.g., Vembanad Lake). Thus, it is incorrect to say there is very little scope for lagoon formation along the entire length of the coast.

Answer: A [1, 3 and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Indus River System is the primary source of irrigation in Pakistan and northwest India, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Rajasthan. It sustains agriculture in these arid and semi-arid regions.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The construction of dams, barrages, and canals on the Indus River has had a significant positive impact on agricultural productivity by enabling controlled irrigation and multiple cropping. It has transformed previously dry areas into fertile farmland.

Statement 3 is correct: The Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) is one of the largest contiguous irrigation systems in the world, covering millions of hectares and providing water through an extensive network of canals.

Statement 4 is correct: The river system supports the cultivation of wheat (winter crop) and rice (summer crop), which are the staple foods of the region and form the agricultural backbone of Punjab and Sindh.

Answer: B [1, 2 and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Katchatheevu Island is located in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka, roughly midway between Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka’s northern coast.

Statement 2 is correct: The island was historically under the control of the Raja of Ramnad (in present-day Tamil Nadu). In 1974, under the Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement, India ceded Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka to settle maritime boundaries.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The ceding of Katchatheevu has not permanently resolved the fishermen’s issues. Indian fishermen, especially from Tamil Nadu, still face arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy for crossing maritime boundaries while fishing near the island.

Statement 4 is correct: The island is uninhabiteIt is used primarily for fishing and for the annual St. Anthony’s Church festival, which draws pilgrims from both India and Sri Lanka.