Q. Which of the following statements with regard to the Deccan Plateau is/are correct?
1.The Deccan Traps within the plateau represent one of the largest subaerial volcanic features on Earth, built from multiple overlapping basaltic lava flows.
2.Fossil records are absent throughout the dense, crystalline rock layers of the Deccan Traps due to the extreme heat of historical volcanic eruptions.
3.The easternmost core of the Deccan Plateau includes the mineral-rich Golconda region, which historically served as a prime global source of diamonds.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer: C
Notes:
Detailed Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: The Deccan Traps form a massive flood basalt province covering over 500,000 square kilometers in western and central India. It was created by step-like, sequential fissure eruptions during the late Cretaceous period.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: Despite the volcanic origin, the sedimentary layers deposited between successive lava flows (known as Intertrappean beds) contain highly unique, globally significant fossils of late Cretaceous plants, frogs, mollusks, and even dinosaur teeth/eggs.
- Statement 3 is correct: The southern and eastern fringes of the Deccan block are exceptionally rich in primary minerals. The historic Golconda region (spanning parts of modern Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) was celebrated globally for its ancient alluvial diamond mines.
