Ravines of Chambal-Gwalior Region under agriculture "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare held a meeting with World Bank representatives to bring large Ravines of Gwalior–Chambal region under agriculture.

 

What are Ravines?

• Badland topography is a major feature of the Chambal valley is characterized by an undulating floodplain, gullies and ravines.
• Ravines are a type of fluvial erosional feature and are formed as a result of constant vertical erosion by streams and rivers flowing over semi-arid and arid regions.

 

How are they formed?

• Researchers consider the regional climate as a major factor in the formation of ravines.
• Climate indeed plays a huge role by supplying the water in the form of rain or snow as well as providing the tempserature variations.
• However, the ravines of Chambal are a bit difficult to be explained solely on climatic terms.
• The region through which the Chambal River flows does not receive enough rainfall to create ravines that are 60–80 m deep.
• Researchers have attributed neotectonic activities to the Chambal ravines genesis

 

 

Other factors

• It is well known that rivers are full of energy and actively erode in their initial phases and progressively become passive as they attain their base levels.
• But sometimes, due to tectonic movements, the base level may be lowered further thus energizing the river and reactivating the erosion. This is known as River Rejuvenation.
• Moreover, wind erosion has also contributed to the formation of Chambal ravines.

 

What are Badlands?

• Badlands are erosional landforms of highly dissected morphology that are created on soft bedrock in a variety of climate conditions.
• They develop in arid to semiarid areas where the bedrock is poorly cemented and rainfall is generally heavy and intermittent.
• The dry, granular surface material and light vegetation are swept from the slopes during showers, leaving the gullies bare.

 

The Distribution of Badlands in India:

• According to one estimate, most of the badlands in India, which are presently sculptured by rills, gullies and ravines, were once covered by thick deciduous forest. 
• The factors and processes of deforestation throughout the country were industrialisation, railway building, extension of settlement and agricultural activities.
• In Uttar Pradesh, the problem of ravine erosion and formation of badlands has been noticed along the Yamuna. Chambal, Gomati and their tributaries flowing through the districts of Etawah. Mathura, Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Agra and Mirzapur. 
• In Madhya Pradesh, badlands are seen along Chambal, Sindh and their tributaries critically affecting districts like Shivpur. Morena. Bhind, Gwalior, Ujjain and Mandsor. 
• In Rajasthan, the problem of gully erosion is most acute along the Chambal  and its tributaries like Banas, Kalisindh, Parbati, Mej and Morel. Districts like Kota, Bundi, Sawai. Madhopur, Tonk, Jhaleswar. Jaipur and Bharatpur districts are most affected. 
• Bihar also has significant areas under ravenous lands in Hazaribagh, Ranchi. Singhbhum district of Chotanagpur plateau. 
• In West Bengal, gully eroded and shallow ravinous badlands occur in the fringe areas of Chotanagpur plateau and adjoining Rarh upland. The Chotanagpur plateau consist four erosion surfaces and interconnecting scarps that have been marked by three intermittent uplifts from early Tertiary to Pleistocene.

 

Badland Topography

• In arid regions occasional rainstorms produce numerous rills and channels which extensively erode weak sedimentary formations.
• Ravines and gullies are developed by linear fluvial erosion leading to the formation of badland topography.
• Example: Chambal Ravines.