The population time bomb

As India is set to become the most populous country surpassing China's population by the middle of this century, the enormous population growth is certain to eclipse the economic status India is supposed to attain in the years to come.

Despite the existence of an exclusive family planning and welfare department and wide publicity given from to time in print media about the need for every family to adopt family planning methods for the welfare of their children, the message could not penetrate fully in both urban and rural households, as a result growth of population has been rising alarmingly across the country.

When land is limited and creation of jobs is not in commensurate with the growth of population, the unemployed is restless.

In this context, virtually economists and scholars have repeatedly pointed out from time to time that family planning is mandatory to contain population but religious politics played by political parties has stalled strict implementation of family planning measures.

In fact, it is not only in climate change but also population rise ticking at a faster rate, a disaster that is creeping will cripple the economy in future.

It is a sad reflection that we have been bullied into a state of complacency even as the governments both at the centre and in the states do not bother about the explosive rate of growth of population in the country harming the noticeable increase in the economic development.

Unless checked, it will inevitably result in social tensions even as resentment grows among the jobless youth. Notwithstanding the fact that economic tensions will also fuel anger and hatred leading to unrest.

As the latest United Nations world population project throws light on population bomb ticking at our backyard, it also clearly spelled out that India will be the most populous country by 2050 if it continues with the present population growth rate.

Needless to say, our political leadership having descended to lower depths of pettiness only look on building vote banks than looking at the realities that family planning methods is a must for economic benefit of the people and the nation at large.

The UN report is thus an eye-opener to the centre and to all state governments that something must be done without delay to avert population explosion.

Also, it is essential that our planners recognise the enormity of the disaster and to put together a group that can invoke all sections of society in preventing the catastrophe.

In short, this can be sustained only if every section of people is actively involved to control population so that the challenges in providing better education, health care and employment of all citizens are adequately met.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad