Assertion (A): West flowing rivers of Peninsular India have no deltas.
Reason (R): These rivers do not carry any alluvial sediments.
A
Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
B
Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C
A is true but R is false
D
A is false but R is true
Correct Answer: Option C
Explanation
1. Assertion (A): West flowing rivers of Peninsular India, such as the Narmada and Tapti, generally flow through rift valleys and have steep gradients near the coast. They typically form estuaries rather than large deltas, unlike the east-flowing rivers (e.g., Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, Cauvery) which flow over gentler slopes and deposit large amounts of sediment forming extensive deltas. So, the statement that they have no deltas (or form estuaries instead) is generally considered true.
2. Reason (R): The reason states that these rivers do not carry any alluvial sediments. This is false. While they might carry less sediment compared to some large east-flowing rivers due to flowing through harder rock regions and shorter courses for many minor rivers, they certainly carry alluvial sediments eroded from their catchment areas. The lack of large deltas is attributed more to the steep gradient near the sea, the geological structure (rift valleys), and strong tidal currents in estuaries, which disperse the sediments, rather than a complete absence of sediment load.
3. Since Assertion (A) is true and Reason (R) is false, the correct option is (C).