Consider the following statements regarding the river systems originating in or flowing through Tamil Nadu: 1. The Vaigai River originates in the Cardamom Hills and drains into the Palk Strait near Ramanathapuram. 2. The Thamirabarani River is a perennial river originating from the Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district. 3. The Ponnaiyar River rises in the Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka and flows entirely within Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statement 1 is correct because the Vaigai river rises in the Varusanadu-Cardamom hills and flows past Madurai before emptying into the wetland lagoons near Ramanathapuram. Statement 2 is correct as the Thamirabarani originates in the Pothigai hills and remains perennial due to receiving rainfall from both southwest and northeast monsoons. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Pennaiyar (Ponnaiyar) river flows from Karnataka through northern districts of Tamil Nadu such as Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri before discharging into the Bay of Bengal near Cuddalore. River basins in Tamil Nadu are heavily dependent on seasonal tank irrigation systems.