Northeastern plateau
Also called: Meghalaya-Karbi Anglong plateau · Topic: Structure and Physiography of India: Himalayas, Plains, Peninsula, Coasts and Islands · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "Structure and Physiography"
Meaning
The north-eastern plateau is a part of the Peninsular plateau that became cut off from the main block. During the Himalayan uplift, India's push towards the north-east opened a huge fault between the Rajmahal hills and Meghalaya. This sunken zone is the Malda fault, and rivers later filled it with sediment. Today the plateau stands apart as two units: the Meghalaya plateau and the Karbi Anglong plateau. Like Chotanagpur, it is rich in coal, iron ore, sillimanite, limestone and uranium.
Example
The Meghalaya plateau, with its Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills, is the main part of the north-eastern plateau. The smaller Karbi Anglong plateau lies to its east in central Assam.
Don't confuse with
- Purvachal (Eastern Hills): these are north-south hills of sedimentary rock where the Himalayas bend south along the Myanmar border. They are young fold mountains. The north-eastern plateau is old, rigid Peninsular rock.