70 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
( 3 ) Fall in Purchasing Capacity
Dearness has increased while income of the people has not risen. Thus to purchase
foodgrains people lack the purchasing capacity.
( 4 ) Limited Jurisdiction of Reserve Bank
Reserve Bank has extensive power to control the credit policy of commercial banks,
which prevent the traders from improper collection of foodgrains. However, it has no control
over the indigenous bankers and sahukars. Hence its policy ends in failure.
(c) Short-Term Causes
This classification includes such causes which provoke the crisis through imbalance in
supply and demand of foodgrains during a year.
Some causes are as under:( 1 ) Increase in Consumption Level
The progress of India people, on account of various reasons, has increased average
income which has led to increase the consumption level. Increase in demand results in
decrease in foodgrains.
( 2 ) Deficit in Production
Untimely rains and under rains during the year bring less production.( 3 ) Anti- Social Activities
Anti-social activities of traders like brokerage, hoarding and black-marketing result in
artificial shortage of foodgrains.
( 4 ) Transportation
Rise in the price of diesel and other lubricants as well as risks involved in transportation
also result in shortage of foodgrains now and then.
CHANGE AGRICULTURE AND OVERGRAZING
(1) Jhum Cultivation
In North-East India (Meghalaya), non-mechanized farming system called ‘Jhum’
cultivation has been practised since long. They cut a clearing in a forest during the dry
months, trees are felled, allowed to dry and then burnt. The fire kills weeds, seeds and
insects and provides the mineral rich ash. With the onset of rains, the farmer plants a crop.
The grain is harvested and the rest of the plant is burnt. When this system is practiced for
2 or 3 years, the soil fertility progressively decreases as there is less of ash every year (as
compared to the amount in the first year when the trees were burnt). When it is no longer
profitable to cultivate that part, the farmer moves on to another forest and repeats the same
cycle.
(2) Overgrazing
Effects of over-grazing are well known on soil loss. Increasing number of livestock and
migrating grazers have contributed to degradation of forests and the consequent devastation.
The most accessible forest areas are heavily grazed. For instance,