UPSC Mains 2022 GS1 Q6: Natural Resource Potential of the Deccan Trap

The Deccan Trap is a vast plateau of layered basalt lava, formed by massive volcanic eruptions around 66 million years ago. It covers much of western and central India.

The original lava field is estimated to have covered over a million square kilometres. Erosion has reduced its present extent, but it remains one of Earth’s largest volcanic provinces.

Weathering of Deccan basalt produces regur, or black cotton soil. It is rich in iron, lime, and moisture-retentive clay, making it excellent for cotton cultivation.

Beyond cotton, this fertile soil supports sugarcane, groundnut, and citrus cultivation across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. It underpins a major share of India’s cash-crop belt.

Basalt itself is quarried extensively for construction aggregate and building stone. It is durable and widely used in road-building across the region.

Deep lateritic weathering of basalt in wetter areas produces bauxite deposits. Parts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have workable bauxite reserves linked to this weathering.

Fractured and vesicular basalt layers can hold significant groundwater in a multi-layered aquifer system. This groundwater supports irrigation across the Deccan Plateau, though yields vary by layer.

The plateau’s basalt terrain and river valleys have supported major dam and hydropower projects, such as those on the Narmada and Godavari systems.

Certain basalt varieties are cut and polished as dimension stone for construction and monuments, adding a distinct economic use beyond bulk aggregate.

The exposed layered lava flows provide a rare record of past volcanic and climatic events. This makes the Deccan Trap valuable for geological and paleoclimate research, indirectly aiding resource science.

Basalt terrain has shallow, easily eroded soil in places and can restrict deep excavation. Resource use must balance productivity with soil conservation on these slopes.

Open by describing the Deccan Trap’s formation and scale, then cover soil, mineral, water, and stone resources in turn, closing with the balance needed for sustainable use.