Situation grim, but recent rains in Maharashtra have raised some hope in north Karnataka

1. Brahmani: This river is formed by the confluence of two rivers, Sankh and Koel, which rise from the Chota Nagpur Plateau and flow through the Eastern Ghats before merging. So, it doesn't originate from the Eastern Ghats itself. 2. Nagavali: The Nagavali River originates in the Eastern Ghats in Odisha and flows through Andhra Pradesh before joining the Bay of Bengal. 3. Subarnarekha: This river originates from the Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand and flows through Odisha before finally joining the Bay of Bengal. It does not rise from the Eastern Ghats. 4. Vamsadhara: The Vamsadhara River originates from the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh and flows through Odisha before joining the Bay of Bengal. Hence, only 2 and 4 are correct.

* Dhuandhar: This waterfall is located on the Narmada River, but the region is not Malwa. It is in Madhya Pradesh Mahakoshal region. Hence, pair 1 is incorrectly matched. * Hundru: This waterfall is indeed located on the Subarnarekha River within the Chota Nagpur Plateau. Hence, pair 2 is correctly matched. * Gersoppa (also known as Jog Falls): This waterfall is on the Sharavati River in the Western Ghats, not the Netravati River. Hence, pair 3 is incorrectly matched.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between the tropical Western Indian Ocean and the tropical Eastern Indian Ocean, not the Eastern Pacific Ocean. During a positive IOD, the western Indian Ocean is warmer than the eastern Indian Ocean, and vice versa for a negative IOD. Statement 2 is Correct: The IOD phenomenon can indeed influence El Nio's impact on the Indian monsoon. El Nio itself is a climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean, but it can interact with the IOD. Depending on the phases of both phenomena (positive/negative IOD and El Nino/La Nina), the overall impact on the Indian monsoon rainfall can be amplified or weakened. Hence, option B is the correct answer.

Pair 1 is correct: Pandharpur is a well-known pilgrimage town on the banks of Chandrabhaga River in Solapur district, Maharashtra, India. Pair 2 is correct: Tiruchirapalli is located along the Kaveri River in Tamil Nadu, India. Pair 3 is incorrect: Hampi, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in east-central Karnataka, India. It is located near the Tungabhadra River. Thus, only 1 and 2 are correct.

Statement 1 is correct: The Jhelum River originates from Verinag Spring in the Pir Panjal range and flows through Srinagar. It passes through Wular Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in India, before continuing westward toward Baramulla and entering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Statement 2 is not correct: Kolleru Lake lies between the Krishna and Godavari deltas in Andhra Pradesh but is not directly fed by either river. The lake receives inflows mainly from smaller rivers such as Budameru and Tammileru, which are distributaries of the Krishna and Godavari systems. Therefore, the Krishna River does not directly feed Kolleru Lake. Statement 3 is not correct: Kanwar Lake (also known as Kabartal) in Begusarai district of Bihar is an oxbow lake formed by the meandering of the Burhi Gandak River, not the main Gandak River. The Burhi Gandak (Old Gandak) is a separate channel originating near Someshwar Hills and flowing parallel to the Ganga.

Gandikota is a small village in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The village is majorly known for housing the spectacular gorge which is famously adjudged as the “Grand Canyon of India”. The canyon is a gorge carved out over millions of years by the Pennar River that streams from the Erramala hills. It's known for its red-hued, layered, and jagged rock formations.

Statement 1 is Correct: During the Early Tertiary period, the western flank of the Peninsular block underwent tectonic subsidence (sinking). This led to its partial submergence beneath the sea, which formed the current submerged western coastline and disturbed the original symmetrical river pattern. Statement 2 is Correct: The Peninsular Block is an ancient, rigid, and stable landmass. It primarily consists of highly denuded relict and residual mountains (remnants of older mountains). Standard geographical texts explicitly list the Aravali, Nallamala, Javadi, Veliconda, Palkonda, and Mahendragiri hills as key examples of these residual ranges. Statement 3 is Incorrect: Because the Peninsular drainage system is much older than the Himalayan one, its rivers have reached maturity. They are characterized by broad, shallow, graded valleys with low gradients, rather than deep cuts. Deep gorges, V-shaped valleys, rapids, and waterfalls are indicative of youthful topography and active vertical erosion. These features are characteristic of the fast-flowing Himalayan river system, which cuts through young, weak, and flexible geological structures, unlike the stable Peninsular Block. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Didwana, Kuchaman, Sargol, and Khatu are the names of saline lakes of Rajasthan.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: 'Maitri Setu' (Friendship Bridge) is built over the Feni River, which forms a natural boundary between India and Bangladesh. However, it connects Sabroom in Tripura, India, with Ramgarh in Bangladesh, not the other way around. Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Jhulaghat suspension bridge connects India and Nepal, not Myanmar. It spans the Mahakali River (known as the Sharda River in India) and links the Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, India, with the Baitadi district in Nepal. Statement 3 is Correct: The Mechi Bridge connects India and Nepal over the Mechi River. It specifically links the Panitanki Bypass in West Bengal, India, with Kakarvitta in Nepal. It serves as a crucial link for cross-border trade and is the endpoint of Asian Highway 02 (AH02) in India. Therefore, only statement 3 is correct.

Bandarpunch : Yamuna - This is correct. Bandarpunch is a mountain massif of the Garhwal division of the Himalayas, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is a source of the Yamuna River. Bara Shigri : Chenab - This is also correct. Bara Shigri is the second-longest glacier in the Himalayas and it feeds the Chenab River. Milam : Mandakini - This is incorrect. The Mandakini River originates from the Chorabari Glacier, not the Milam Glacier. Siachen : Nubra - This is correct. The Siachen Glacier, one of the world's longest mountain glaciers, lies in the Karakoram Range system of Kashmir and is the source for the Nubra River. Zemu : Manas - This is incorrect. The Zemu Glacier is in Sikkim and it feeds the Teesta River, not the Manas River. So, the correctly matched pairs are 1, 2, and 4.

The article states that Almatti Dam is the largest reservoir on the Krishna river in Karnataka. It also mentions the Narayanpur reservoir across the Krishna. Raja Lakhamagouda reservoir is on the Ghataprabha, and Renukasagar reservoir is across the Malaprabha. Therefore, pair 2 (Narayanpur Reservoir - Tungabhadra River) is incorrectly matched, as Narayanpur is on the Krishna river. Pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correctly matched.

The article explicitly quotes an expert stating, 'It appears that the super El Nino and other factors, such as reduced African sea winds, have led to this drought.' The article does not mention increased cyclonic activity or deforestation as primary causes for the current situation.

The article states, 'The biggest drop is in food crops, with just 26% of sowing completed.' This confirms statement 1. Regarding socio-economic consequences, an expert warns that a weak or delayed monsoon can 'reduce farmers’ income, increase migration to urban areas'. This confirms statement 3 and contradicts statement 2, which suggests increased farmer income.