RAS question
Peaty and marshy soils are found in:
Correct answer: (B) Kerala (Kuttanad), coastal areas of Odisha, and Sundarbans.
Peaty and marshy soils in India are found in Kerala's Kuttanad, the coastal areas of Odisha, and the Sundarbans.
Explanation
Peaty and marshy soils develop where rainfall, humidity and vegetation are high enough for large amounts of organic matter to accumulate. Kerala's Kuttanad, coastal Odisha and the Sundarbans are the relevant regions, and these soils are acidic and rich in organic content. The Thulirr Academy study-material PDF describes peaty and marshy soils as forming in humid regions from organic matter, occurring in areas of heavy rainfall and high humidity, and being black, heavy and highly acidic. Its distribution list includes Kerala districts, coastal Odisha and the Sundarbans of West Bengal, which is why option B matches the soil-forming conditions and the stated locations.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Rajasthan desert is not the match because peaty and marshy soils need heavy rainfall, high humidity and abundant organic matter, not arid desert conditions.
- (C) Himalayan peaks do not fit because the question is testing humid, marshy, organic-rich soil zones such as Kuttanad, coastal Odisha and the Sundarbans.
- (D) The Deccan Plateau is not supported by the Thulirr Academy study-material PDF distribution, which places peaty and marshy soils in humid coastal and deltaic areas rather than the plateau region.
Concept
This tests the Indian geography topic of soil classification by formation conditions and regional distribution. It recurs in RAS because soil types are often asked through location clues such as humidity, organic matter, acidity and coastal or deltaic settings.