Ans.
India is a vast country and has
different relief features. They are responsible for varied climatic conditions.
India has very hot and very cold regions as well as regions with very heavy
rainfall and very scanty rainfall. A large part of India has tropical monsoon climate.
The climate of India has been influenced by its position, size and relief
features. Monsoon winds are the main factors that determine the climate of
India. They influence a large part of India. The Climate of India may be
divided into four seasons- 1) Winter - From December to February(winter rains)
2) Summer - From March to May 3) South-West monsoons or rainy season - June to
September 4) Retreating monsoons - October and November(tropical cyclones)
Distribution Of Rainfall: The rainfall in India is seasonal, uncertain
and unevenly distributed. Most of the rain comes during the South-West Monsoon
period. Rainfall may be too much or too little. There are also long dry periods
in between. On the basis of the quantity of rainfall, we can divide India into
five major rainfall regions.
1)Very low rainfall region (Less than
30 cms per year). It is found in Karakoram ranges, northern Kashmir and western
parts of Kachchh and Rajasthan (Thar desert).
2) Low rainfall region (30 cms. to 60
cms. per year). It is found in Zaskar range, parts of Punjab and Haryana,
Central Rajasthan, Western Gujarat and the rain-shadow areas of the Western
Ghats.
3) Moderate rainfall (60 cms. to 100
cms. per year). It is found over a greater part of India, excluding the areas of
low rainfall and heavy rainfall. Most of the rain is from the South-West
Monsoon winds.
4.Heavy rainfall region (100 cms. to
200 cms. per year). It is found in four separate areas, including a narrow belt
of the western coast, eastern coastal belt, the foothills of the Himalayas and
a part of north-east India.
5.Very heavy rainfall region (over 200
cms. per year). It is found on the western side of the Western Ghats , the
foothills of Himalayas, Meghalaya plateau (Shillong plateau) and Andaman and
Nicobar Islands. Mawsynram in Meghalaya plateau has recorded 1141 cms. of
rainfall per year and it is the place which gets the heaviest rainfall in
India/world.
Climate plays a very important role on
the economic development of a nation. The South-West Monsoons control the
agriculture of India, which is the main occupation of the people. When the
monsoons fail, there is drought, and the crops also fail. When the monsoons are
heavy, there are floods, they also cause destruction to life and property.
Hence, it is called that, “the Indian agriculture is a gamble with the
Monsoons”.