Question

In which area are laterite soil found in West Bengal?
1. Bankura
2. Darjeeling
3. Jalpaiguri
4. South 24 Paragans

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : Bankura

The correct answer is Bankura.

• The convenient grouping of soils in West Bengal as:
  • Laterites.
  • Red Earths.
  • Tarai soils.
  • Alluvial soils.
  • The Coastal soils.
• In West Bengal lateritic soils occur in the districts of Bankura, Birbhum, Burdwan, and Paschim Medinipur.
• Red soil area extends into and includes the greater part of Santhal Parganas in Jharkhand, the Birbhum, Bankura district of West Bengal.
• Tarai soils cover the north part of West Bengal - Darjeeling, Cooch Bihar, hilly part of Jalpaiguri.
• In West Bengal, a portion of Murshidabad, Bankura, almost the whole tract known as the Rarh region are composed mainly of the old alluvium.
  • New alluvium covering Murshidabad, Nadia, Hoogly, Burdwan, and North 24 Parganas.
• Coastal saline soil covering South 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Midnapore (E). Soils are mostly heavy clay containing higher salts of sodium, magnesium, potassium with organic matter at different stages of decomposition.