Often referred to as Tablelands, Plateaus are elevated landforms with a flat top surface. Plateaus look like a huge flat area that suddenly rises sharply above the surrounding lower land area. Plateaus, like other landforms, are continuously shaped over time by natural forces like wind and water. These forces slowly wear down and alter their shape. This process is known as Erosion. Covering roughly one-third of Earth’s landmass, these significant geological formations are one of the four major landforms, along with Mountains, Plains, and Hills. Plateaus can be geologically ancient or young, much like mountains. The Deccan Plateau in India is one example of an ancient plateau that was created by lava from volcanoes millions of years ago.

Different types of Plateaus and their formation

Plateaus are the result of several distinct geological processes. According to their formation and appearance, they can be categorized as:

Tectonic Plateau – A tectonic plateau is formed due to the movement of tectonic plates, causing massive upliftment of land. Usually, a tectonic plateau is huge in size and maintains a uniform altitude.

• Examples – The Deccan plateau in India is a continental plateau.
• The Meseta plateau of Iberia(Spain) is a tilted plateau.
• The Harz of Germany is a faulted plateau.

A different type, the Intermontane Plateau, forms when a tectonic plateau is enclosed by Fold Mountains. Examples include the Tibetan Plateau nestled between the Himalayas and Kunlun ranges, and the Bolivian Plateau, between the Andes ranges.

Volcanic Plateau – A volcanic plateau formed from volcanic activity. These plateaus emerge when molten lava from the Earth’s interior erupts and spreads across the surface in successive layers. Over time, these layers solidify to create a vast lava plateau.

• Examples – The Columbia-Snake Plateau in the northwestern United States.
• The Antrim Plateau of Northern Ireland.
• The northwestern part of the Deccan Plateau in India.

Dissected Plateau – A dissected plateau is not formed by lava or upliftment; rather, these plateaus are the result of an intense, continuous process of weathering and erosion. Over the period, running water, ice, or wind gradually wore down these uniform plateaus and transformed them into irregular terrain.

Valleys are formed when running water/river cuts through the plateau. The Columbia Plateau, for instance, between the Cascade and Rocky Mountains in the western US, is famously cut through by the Columbia River. Sometimes, a plateau is eroded to an extent where it breaks into smaller raised sections called outliers. These outliers are often iron ore and coal-rich.

Classification by Surrounding Environment

Plateaus can also be classified according to their geographical location:

Intermontane Plateaus – As mentioned above, these plateaus are the highest plateaus, completely enclosed by fold mountains. Examples include the Tibetan Plateau, which is also the largest and highest plateau in the world.

Piedmont Plateaus – If a plateau is bordered by a mountain range on one side and a plain or sea on the other side, then these plateaus are known as piedmont plateaus. A classic example is the Piedmont Plateau in the US, situated between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Appalachian Mountains.

Continental Plateaus – These vast tablelands are formed away from the major mountain ranges and often bordered on all sides by either Oceans or Plains. The Antarctic Plateau is a notable example of this kind.

Explain the different types of plateaus based on their mode of formation. Provide examples from India. (UPPSC 2022-23)

Major Plateaus of India

Deccan Plateau

• Location & Extent: The largest plateau in India, it covers most of the peninsular India, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The Western Ghats bound it in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the east, and the Satpura & Vindhya ranges in the northwest.
• Geological features & Rock Types: Primarily formed by basalt from ancient volcanic lava flows, called the Deccan Traps. Key features are steep descent and dissected tablelands.
• Associated Rivers & Drainage Pattern: Most of the major rivers of peninsular India originate from here – Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi, Pennar, and generally flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal due to the plateau’s west-to-east slope. The Narmada and Tapti are exceptions, flowing westward into the Arabian Sea. Radial drainage patterns are common here.
• Soil Types & Agriculture: Characterized by Black Soil(Regur Soil), which is highly fertile and known for its moisture-retention capacity. Ideal for the cultivation of cotton, sugarcane, millets, pulses, and oilseeds. Red and Yellow Soils are also found here towards the eastern and southern parts.
• Major Minerals: Rich in iron ore, manganese, bauxite, mica, and some deposits of limestone and coal.
• Economic Activities: Primarily agriculture, especially cash crops like cotton and sugarcane, mining, steel production, textiles, chemicals, and renewable energy(in TN).

Malwa Plateau

• Location & Extent: Located in the Northwestern part of the Central Highlands, it covers the western part of Madhya Pradesh and the Southeastern part of Rajasthan. It is bordered by Bundelkhand Plateau in the north, Vindhya range in the east and south, and Gujarat plains in the west.
• Geological features & Rock Types: Formed mainly by volcanic rocks (basalt), similar to the Deccan Traps and some alluvial deposits, but from a separate volcanic episode. It has a wavy topography.
• Associated Rivers & Drainage Pattern: This plateau is drained by rivers like Chambal, Ken, Betwa, Kali Sindh, and Parbati, which flow northward towards the Yamuna river system.
• Soil Types & Agriculture: This plateau is dominated by Black Soil (often mixed with red & brown soil), which supports crops like Wheat, Soybean, Cotton, Pulses, and Oilseeds.
• Major Minerals: It contains deposits of manganese, limestone, and dolomite.
• Economic Activities: Primarily agriculture with main focus on the rain-fed crops (like Jowar, Bajra, Gram, Groundnut, etc), mining (limestone, manganese), and associated industries.

Chota Nagpur Plateau

• Location & Extent: A highly dissected plateau, located in eastern India, primarily Jharkhand, with extension into parts of northern Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. It is bounded by the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the north & east and the Mahanadi River basin in the south.
• Geological features & Rock Types: Part of the ancient Gondwana landmass, it is mainly composed of gneiss, granite, and schist. Because of its folded and faulted structure, it is one of the richest mineral belts in India.
• Associated Rivers & Drainage Pattern: Mainly drained by rivers like Damodar (flowing through a rift valley), Subarnarekha, Koel, and Barakar. Waterwalls are a key feature of this plateau, like Hundru Falls in Jharkhand. This plateau shows a Radial drainage pattern.
• Soil Types & Agriculture: Predominantly Red, Yellow, and Laterite soils, generally less fertile and acidic, but support crops like rice, maize, and pulses. Shifting cultivation is practiced in some tribal areas.
• Major Minerals: Because of its immense mineral wealth, it is also known as the “Ruhr of India”. The largest reserve of coal in India is found in this plateau. It is exceptionally rich in iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, copper, uranium, and other industrial minerals.
• Economic Activities: Unlike other plateaus, agriculture is less dominant here because of mining. This plateau is known for large-scale mining (coal, iron, bauxite) and associated heavy industries (steel, thermal, power, cement, aluminum).

Meghalaya Plateau

• Location & Extent: Located in Northeast India, this plateau is believed to be an extension of the peninsular plateau (Deccan Plateau), separated by the Malda Fault (Gaps of Garo-Rajmahal hills), which includes the Garo, Khasi, Jaintia, and Mikir Hills.
• Geological features & Rock Types: Composed primarily of ancient crystalline rocks-Gneiss, Granite, Quartzite. Its main characteristics are high rainfall and an uneven dissected topography.
• Associated Rivers & Drainage Pattern: Drained by numerous short, swift-flowing rivers (Umiam, Myntdu) forming rapids and waterfalls, flowing and falling into the Brahmaputra River to the north and the Barak River to the south.
• Soil Types & Agriculture: Predominantly Laterite soils and red loamy soils, which are relatively infertile. Suitable for horticulture (pineapples, oranges), Spices, and limited rice, maize cultivation.
• Major Minerals: Significant deposits of coal, limestone, uranium, and sillimanite.
• Economic Activities: Agriculture (horticulture, plantation crops), forestry, coal and limestone mining, and tourism.

Central Highlands

The Central Highlands refer to the plateaus and ranges that lie north of the Narmada River. It is bordered by the Aravalli Range in the west, Narmada Valley in the south, Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand plateaus in the east, and the Indo-Gangetic Plains in the north. It includes:

Plateau	Location & Extent	Geology & Rocks	Rivers & Drainage	Soils	Major Minerals	Economic Activities
Bundelkhand	Northern MP, Southern UP	Granite, Gneiss	Betwa, Ken, Dhasan	Red & Black	Granite & minor minerals	Rain-fed farming, Mining
Baghelkhand	Eastern MP, Northern Chhattisgarh, Western Bihar	Granite, Gneiss	Son, Tons, Banas	Red & Yellow	Coal, Bauxite, Limestone	Mining, Agriculture
Marwar	Western Rajasthan	Sandstone, Granite	Luni, Banas	Alluvial, Sandy loam	Marble, Gypsum	Mining, Animal husbandry

Describe the major physical divisions of the Malwa Plateau. Discuss its economic significance for Madhya Pradesh. (MPPSC 2022-23)

Explain the formation of the Deccan Trap region. What makes the black soils of this plateau ideal for cotton cultivation? (MPPSC 2022-23)

Discuss the significance of the Peninsular Plateau as a storehouse of mineral resources in India. What are the challenges associated with their sustainable extraction? (UPPSC 2022-23)

Describe the physiography of the Marwar Plateau (Mewar Plateau) in Rajasthan. What are its characteristic features and economic activities? (RPSC 2022-23)

Environmental Concerns

Minerals are vital for economic growth. In the pursuit of minerals, these ecological hotspots are facing significant environmental degradation due to mining, causing direct impact on natural ecosystems, vital resources, and local communities.

Deforestation due to mining

• Large-scale mining operations, especially in mineral-rich areas like the Chota Nagpur Plateau and the Western Ghats, demand the clearing of vast areas, leading to deforestation. The loss of forest and vegetation results in irreversible habitat loss for various species, disturbs ecological corridors, and diminishes the capacity of forests to act as Carbon Sinks.

Soil Erosion and Land Degradation

• Mining significantly alters the natural landscape. Removal of the topsoil layer, along with the overburden (waste rock), disturbs the soil profile, leading to severe soil erosion and land degradation. The loss of fertile topsoil often severely reduces agricultural productivity, turning once arable land into barren land, contributing to desertification in some regions.

Water pollution from mining effluents

• Mining generates considerable wastewater, often loaded with harmful substances and toxic chemicals, leading to contamination of both surface and groundwater. Contaminated wastewater discharge also pollutes water bodies and harms aquatic biodiversity. Bhadra River (Karnataka) has been declared as iron-contaminated and is unfit for drinking and irrigation due to mining.

Impact on local communities and Biodiversity

• Local communities: Mining-induced deforestation forces indigenous and tribal populations to displace from ancestral lands and loss of their traditional livelihoods. This often results in social unrest and environmental justice concerns.
• Biodiversity: Habitat Fragmentation is one of the serious concerns caused by mining. While contamination in water and soil directly impacts flora and fauna, Noise and Dust pollution affect animal behaviour. This leads to a decline in biodiversity, causing serious concerns for species and ecological balance.

Analyze the impact of human activities, particularly deforestation and mining, on the ecological balance of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. Suggest measures for sustainable development in the region.

Examine the environmental implications of extensive mining activities in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region. What sustainable practices can be adopted to balance development with ecological preservation?

Need for Sustainable mining practices and Environmental impact assessments (EIA)

Mining operations often lack effective reclamation and rehabilitation plans. Addressing these issues is primary to make a shift towards sustainable mining practices. There is a critical need for:

• Comprehensive EIAs to rigorously assess all the potential impacts and mitigation strategies before project approval.
• Compulsory scientific reclamation and afforestation of mining areas using local species.
• Responsible mining involves minimizing the environmental footprint throughout the mine’s life cycle.
• Community participation in decision-making to reduce socio-economic tensions.
• Strong governance and Enforcement, which includes clear policy frameworks, strict enforcement of regulations, and effective environmental governance. It helps to ensure compliance and hold companies accountable for ecological restoration and community welfare.