What is Soil Erosion?
Soils wear away by the action of rain-wash, running water, streams, rivers, winds and other natural agents and thereby they are lost forever. This erosion of the upper-most layer of the earth’s crust (i.e. the soil) is known as Soil Erosion.
Causes of Soil Erosion in India
Soil erosion in India is caused by:
Unscientific process of agriculture in which bare-soil wears away easily by rain wash;
Wanton destruction of forest and vegetation-cover on the soil in which natural agents of erosion get easy access and widespread erosion takes place;
Over-grazing which withers away vegetation and soil becomes bare open to natural agents for erosion; and
Heavy rainfall and turbulent running water which force the bare rocks and soils to wear away.
