Famine

A famine is a severe shortage of food in a long time. It can be caused by lack of rain, heavy rain, floods, pests as locusts, overpopulation or interruption of food supplies due to a series of natural disasters such as earthquakes or manmade disasters such as riots, disturbances or prolonged strike in essential services. 

The most common cause of famine in an agricultural country like India is failure of rain called drought. There is dry weather for two or three consecutive years without rain. There are acute shortages of food and other agricultural products, milk and water. 

Wells, tanks and rivers dry up. There is no green seen everywhere. Scarcity of food and water hit people very hard. Prices of food, agricultural and all the essential things float Cattle and sheep perish for lack of fodder and drinking water. People are starving and have difficulty obtaining even enough drinking water. 

Government and voluntary charitable organizations start relief work. The government starts fair price shops, provides water and even distributes food and essential commodities free, h starts public works like building roads to create jobs for the unemployed so they can get money to buy essential commodities. The government exempts farmers from land revenue, to provide relief to them. 

Volunteer organizations collect funds and distribute foodgrains, clothes and other essential commodities free of hunger-stricken people. They provide grass and fodder for cattle. They even offer free meals to the needy. 

Thus, through a joint effort of government and charitable institutions people are saved from starvation. Cattle are rescued from death. 

Thus the generosity of people and timely support from the government helping people to survive this natural disaster. But this is not enough. The government must take steps to prevent a recurrence of famine by increasing irrigation facilities so that farmers no longer have to depend on rain. The government must also prevent felling of trees, pollution, etc., to prevent the weather getting dry and to prevent the lack of rainfall. Then only will people be saved from the calamity of famine.