Question

The Sundarban Delta derived its name from the ________________.
A. Pine tree
B. Sundari tree
C. Peepal tree
D. Sal tree

Answer 1

Hint: The world’s largest delta, the Sundarban Delta is formed by three major rivers of India situated in the Indian state of West Bengal. Since 1973 this delta has been a region of utmost importance for the World Wide Fund for Nature India due to its unique biodiversity.

Complete Answer: In West Bengal, these forests are termed as ‘Sunderbans’ or ‘Shundorbon’, where ‘Sundari’ is the most abundant tree in this region. ‘Shundorbon’ or Sundarban is the world’s largest contiguous forest situated in Bangladesh and in the Indian state of West Bengal. The delta is situated adjacent to the Bay of Bengal formed by a concourse of the Ganges, Padma, Hooghly, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers.

Now let us examine the options
Option A - Pine trees or Chir pine trees can mostly be found in the mountainous areas of Kashmir, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal and southern part of Tibet. One of the best habitats of the chir pine forest can be found in the Uttarakhand Hills in northern India.
Option B - These trees can grow up to with a height of 60 feet with a girth of six feet. The timber obtained from this tree is used for boatbuilding and joinery, bridge-building, house construction, utility poles and tool handle. In Bengali, the word ‘Sundari’ means beautiful and ‘ban’ means forest. Hence, the name ‘Sunderban’. These trees can be found in the littoral forests of West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Option C - Peepal trees are found all over India. It is mainly grown in the Indian states of Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana.
Option D - Sal trees are an important source of hardwood timber and are mostly in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

Thus, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: According to several investigations, the tree from which the Sunderban Delta derived its name possesses significant antinociceptive, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Thus, it is widely used by people residing in this region and also by traditional health practitioners for treating diabetes, goitre, hepatic disorder and skin diseases.