Sign In
Learn bits
Geography
Mahesh

10/03/22 15:32 PM IST

karewas

In News 

  • Kashmir’s highly fertile alluvial soil deposits called ‘karewas’ are being destroyed in the name of development, much to the peril of local people.
Details
  • These plateaus are 13,000-18,000 metre-thick deposits of alluvial soil and sediments like sandstone and mudstone.
  • This makes them ideal for cultivation of saffron, almonds, apples and several other cash crops.
  • Kashmir saffron, which received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2020 for its longer and thicker stigmas, deep-red colour, high aroma and bitter flavour, is grown on these karewas.
  • The fertility of these patches is believed to be the result of their long history of formation.
  • When formed during the Pleistocene period (2.6 million years to 11,700 years ago), the Pir Panjal range blocked the natural drainage in the region and formed a lake spanning 5,000 sq km (roughly three times the size of Delhi).
Formation 
  • Over the next few centuries, the water receded, making way for the valley and the formation of the karewas between the mountains.
  • Today, the karewa sediments not only hold fossils and remnants of many human civilisations and habitations, but are also the most fertile spots in the valley.
About Karewas 

  • In the Kashmiri dialect, the term Karewa means “elevated table land”.
  • Firstly, this term was used by Godwin Austin in 1859 and later on by Lydekker in 1878 for unconsolidated to semi-consolidated sand clay conglomerate sequence.
  • “Vudr” is the local name for Karewas in Kashmiri language.
  • Karewas are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraines. These are unconsolidated lacustrine deposits. Lacustrine means “associated with lakes”.
Source- Down To Earth 

More Related Current Affairs View All

10 Jan

Rural landowners in Delhi want repeal of Sections 33 and 81 of Delhi Land Reforms Act

'Both sections dealing with the use and sale of agricultural land have come under the spotlight ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.' This can only be done by the Central gove

Read More

10 Jan

Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 18th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas  in Bhubaneswar.' The event is held once every two years to “honour the cont

Read More

10 Jan

Deciphering the Indus script

'Recently, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a $1-million prize for experts or organisations in the event of their success in deciphering the scripts of the Indus Val

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps