Consider the following statements regarding the rivers of India :

1. The Barak River, the head stream of the Meghna, rises in the hills of Meghalaya.

2. The Ghaggar River does not drain out to the sea and gets lost in the Rajasthan desert.

3. Puthimari and Manas are important tributaries of the Brahmaputra.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct answer is  2 and 3 only.

Key PointsRivers of India

• Statement 1: The Barak River, the head stream of the Meghna, rises in the hills of Meghalaya.
  • The Barak River actually rises in the Manipur hills and not in Meghalaya.
  • It flows through the Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Assam before entering Bangladesh where it is known as the Meghna.
  Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• Statement 2: The Ghaggar River does not drain out to the sea and gets lost in the Rajasthan desert.
  • The Ghaggar River originates in the Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh and flows through Haryana and Punjab.
  • It does not have a direct outlet to the sea and eventually dries up in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan.
  Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Statement 3: Puthimari and Manas are important tributaries of the Brahmaputra.
  • The Brahmaputra River has numerous tributaries, and among them, Puthimari and Manas are significant ones.
  • The Puthimari River flows through Assam and joins the Brahmaputra, while the Manas River originates in Bhutan and flows into Assam to meet the Brahmaputra.
  Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Additional Information

• Barak River:
  • The Barak River is one of the major rivers in northeast India and is crucial for the region's ecology and economy.
  • It is part of the Surma-Meghna River System and plays a vital role in the hydrology of the region.
• Ghaggar River:
  • The Ghaggar River is often associated with the ancient Sarasvati River mentioned in Vedic texts.
  • It is an ephemeral river, meaning it flows only during the monsoon season and dries up during the rest of the year.
• Brahmaputra River:
  • The Brahmaputra is one of the major rivers in the world and flows through Tibet, India, and Bangladesh.
  • It is known for its high sediment load and is prone to flooding during the monsoon season.