Question

Describe the Plains of Punjab.

Answer 1

Hint: The Punjab Plain is an extensive alluvial plain that stretches from the north-western India to the eastern part of Pakistan. The plain includes the Pakistani province of Punjab and Indian States of Punjab and Haryana. The plain is surrounded by the Shivalik Hills in the north, the Yamuna river in the east, the Rajasthan desert in the west and the Ravi and Sutlej rivers in the northwest and southwest respectively.

Complete Answer:
The plain is formed by the silting of the meandering streams of the Indus rivers and their tributaries. It is slightly undulating, with a slope of 650 metres in the northeast to 200 metres in the southeast. Perennial rivers of the Indus, like Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Yamuna drain the entire Punjab plain renewing fertility of the soil in every monsoon.
The plain land of Punjab can be broadly classified into three groups based on the characteristics of the surface features. Those are dissected piedmont plain; alluvial upland and alluvial lowland. The alluvial lowland is further categorised into two geomorphic units, active flood plains and abandoned floss plain. Abandoned floodplain is developed parallel to the river courses and is 3 metres higher than the active floodplain and is often inundated by high floods. The alluvial upland is bordered by steep scraps, with a relative height of 1.5-12 metres above abandoned floodplain. Riverine sand dunes are extensively distributed on the alluvial upland in the Punjab Malwa. These riverine sand dunes were formed along the channel scars of the Sutlej river.
The plain having been formed by the siltation of the rivers has a good amount of silt component in it. The proximity of the plain with the desert also supplies a sand component to the palin and river water makes the plain somewhat clayey in nature, thus making this plain land most suitable for agriculture.
Thus, agriculture becomes the main homestay of the people of punjab plain.

Note: Though,the soil is very much suitable for agriculture, lack of rainfall makes it difficult to do the same. Thus, the Punjab government has come up with extensive irrigation schemes so that agriculture can be done without any interruption. Some crops that are grown in the Punjab plains are wheat, millets, cereals, sugarcane, cotton, and summer rice as well.