Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: the Western Ghats block the moisture-laden southwest monsoon winds, forcing them to rise and cool and producing heavy orographic rainfall (often exceeding 250 cm) on the windward western slopes, while the eastern leeward side lies in a rain shadow. Statement 2 is NOT correct: it misdescribes the mechanism — the winds are not 'compressed' between the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, and orographic lift, not compression between two ranges, is what causes the rainfall. With only statement 1 correct, the answer is A.