Vision Academy EducareVision Academy Educare
Question 62 of 131 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
Questionmedium
This question was previously asked in

SSC

The second largest brackish-water lagoon in India, on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border, is:

Answer View answer ▾

Answer: Option B — Pulicat Lake

Detailed Solution

Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish-water lagoon in India, after Chilika Lake in Odisha. It lies on the east coast, mostly in the Tirupati (formerly Nellore) district of Andhra Pradesh, with a smaller part in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu.

Features of the lake:

  • Its area varies between about 250 and 460 square km, depending on the season.
  • It is shallow, generally less than 2 metres deep.
  • It is connected to the Bay of Bengal through narrow openings, so sea water mixes with fresh water from rivers such as the Arani, Kalangi and Swarnamukhi.
  • A long, narrow barrier island separates the lagoon from the sea; it is covered in a separate question.

Pulicat Bird Sanctuary:

  • Both the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu parts of the lake are protected as bird sanctuaries.
  • Thousands of greater flamingos, along with pelicans, painted storks, herons and other water birds, gather here in winter.
  • The Flamingo Festival is held every year in the area.

Pulicat town:

  • Pulicat (Pazhaverkadu) town was a Dutch trading post from 1609; the Dutch built Fort Geldria there.
  • Later, it came under British control.

Livelihood:

Thousands of fishing families depend on the lake for prawns, crabs and fish.

Threats:

Siltation of the lake mouths, reduced fresh-water inflow, industrial development nearby and changes in salinity threaten the lake.

Coastal lagoons of India:

  • Chilika (Odisha): the largest brackish-water lagoon in India.
  • Pulicat (Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu): the second largest.
  • Vembanad (Kerala): a large backwater lake.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Kolleru Lake is a large freshwater lake between the Godavari and Krishna deltas in Andhra Pradesh.
  • ✗Vembanad Lake is in Kerala.
  • ✗Loktak Lake is a freshwater lake in Manipur.

Quick tip

Remember: Pulicat = second largest brackish lagoon (AP-Tamil Nadu); Chilika (Odisha) = largest; flamingos in winter.

💬 Discussions on this question

Ask a doubt ›

Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.

Ask a doubt

More Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India Questions

View all ›
  1. Q1.The world's largest river island, Majuli, is located in the:
  2. Q2.Which is the largest river of peninsular India?
  3. Q3.Which is the largest tributary of the Indus river?
  4. Q4.The Mettur Dam, built on the Kaveri river, is located in:
  5. Q5.Kolleru Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in India, is located in:

More General Knowledge Questions

  1. Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
  2. Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
  3. Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
  4. Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
  5. Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms

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.

‹ All Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India questionsBrowse all topics ›