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The largest brackish-water lagoon in Asia is:
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Answer: Option D — Chilika Lake, Odisha
Detailed Solution
Chilika Lake is the largest brackish-water lagoon in Asia and the largest coastal lagoon in India.
About Chilika Lake:
- It is located on the east coast of India, in the Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts of Odisha, at the mouth of the Daya river, which flows into the Bay of Bengal.
- It covers about 1,100 square kilometres, expanding to about 1,165 square kilometres during the monsoon.
- It is called "brackish" because it has a mix of fresh water from rivers and salt water from the sea.
- It is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a long sandy strip and connected to the sea by a narrow mouth.
It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian subcontinent. Birds arrive from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Mongolia and Siberia.
The Nalabana Island (Nalaban Bird Sanctuary) in the lake is the core area for birds.
It is famous for the Irrawaddy dolphin, which can be seen near Satapada. Chilika has one of the largest single-lagoon populations of this dolphin in the world.
It supports the livelihood of thousands of fishing families.
Kalijai Island has a famous temple of Goddess Kalijai.
Conservation:
Chilika was designated India's first Ramsar site (Wetland of International Importance) in 1981, along with Keoladeo National Park.
It was placed on the Montreux Record in 1993 because of siltation and weed growth. After a new mouth was opened in 2000 and other restoration measures by the Chilika Development Authority, its condition improved, and it was removed from the Montreux Record in 2002.
It received the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award in 2002.
Other lagoons and lakes:
Pulicat Lake: the second-largest brackish-water lagoon in India, on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border. The Sriharikota rocket launch centre lies on its barrier island.
Vembanad Lake: the longest lake in India and the largest lake in Kerala.
Kolleru Lake: a large freshwater lake in Andhra Pradesh, between the Krishna and Godavari deltas.
Wular Lake (Jammu and Kashmir): one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Pulicat Lake is India's second-largest brackish-water lagoon.
- ✗Vembanad Lake is the longest lake in India.
- ✗Kolleru Lake is a freshwater lake.
Quick tip
Remember: Chilika = largest brackish-water lagoon in Asia (Odisha; Irrawaddy dolphins; Nalabana bird sanctuary; first Ramsar site 1981 with Keoladeo); Pulicat = second largest (Sriharikota); Wular = freshwater, J&K.
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Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's drainage system: the Himalayan rivers (the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems), the peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi and Mahanadi), their tributaries and origins, waterfalls, lakes, and the major dams and multipurpose river projects. Exams ask about the origin of a river, its tributaries, the cities on its banks, and the river on which a dam is built. For example, the Bhakra Nangal Dam is on the Sutlej, the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi, and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada. Remember that the Narmada and Tapi flow west into the Arabian Sea, while most peninsular rivers flow east. Practise the rivers, lakes and dams of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.