Correct Answer: Option A) 1 and 2 only
Suru and Dras are left-bank tributaries of Indus - True
The Suru and Dras rivers are indeed left-bank tributaries of the Indus River. They join the Indus from its left side when facing downstream. The Suru River originates from the Pensi La glacier and the Dras River flows through the Dras area of Kargil district in Ladakh.
The Indus River system is older than the Himalayas - True
This is a scientifically established fact. The Indus River system is antecedent to the Himalayas, meaning it existed before the formation of the Himalayan mountain range. The Indus River is estimated to be about 45-50 million years old, while the Himalayan orogeny (mountain formation) began about 40-50 million years ago. The river maintained its course by cutting through the rising mountains as they formed.
The river flows through the Kashmir Valley - False
This statement is incorrect. The Indus River does flow through the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, but it does not flow through the Kashmir Valley proper. The main river that flows through the Kashmir Valley is the Jhelum River, which is a tributary of the Indus, but the Indus itself flows to the north of the Kashmir Valley through Ladakh.
Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are correct, making Option A the correct answer.
