Peninsular Drainage

The First River: The South Koel originates in the Chota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand. It flows into Odisha and joins the Sankh river at Vedvyas (near Rourkela) to form the Brahmani river. The Second River: The Baitarani river originates in the Keonjhar district of Odisha. The Confluence: The Brahmani and Baitarani rivers merge near the coast before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The Protected Area: This estuarine region forms a massive delta that is home to Bhitarkanika National Park. It is a Ramsar site and a crucial habitat for saltwater crocodiles and Olive Ridley turtles.

**Statement 1 is correct:** The Narmada River flows through a linear rift valley, formed due to faulting and subsidence between two upland regions — the Vindhya Range (north) and the Satpura Range (south). This tectonic feature directs the river’s flow toward the west. **Statement 2 is incorrect:** The river indeed flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, following the east–west oriented rift valley, But do not adequately explain why Narmada flows westward. Confinement could lead a river to flow in either direction. **Statement 3 is incorrect:** The general slope of the Peninsular Plateau is from west to east, which is why most peninsular rivers (like Godavari, Krishna, and Mahanadi) flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal. The Narmada’s westward flow is an exception due to its rift valley structure, not due to land slope. 

**Indravati and Pranhita:** These are major left-bank tributaries of the Godavari River.  **Vamsadhara:** This river flows independently into the Bay of Bengal and is not a tributary of Godavari. **Pennar:** This river flows entirely within Andhra Pradesh and drains into the Bay of Bengal south of Chennai. It's not a tributary of Godavari.

 India took a step forward in its ambitious but long-pending goal to interlink major rivers to form a national water grid. The Pattiseema project lifts flood water from the river Godavari and pumps it into the Polavaram right canal that empties into the river Krishna in Vijayawada. Andhra Pradesh Government is interlinking Krishna-Godavari rivers through the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme. Hence, option B is the correct Answer.

**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. 

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:** 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.