Population Education

Many countries because of population explosion are unable to feed themselves, and are locked in a cycle of spiraling environment degradation and grinding poverty. In India also, we face the dual problem of population growth and poverty. To these we can trace almost all our major environmental problems like the denutation of forests, overgrazing, sewage pollution, malnutrition, communicable disease, etc. Simultaneously in part of the country the environmental problems due to industrial pollution and urban congestion are discernible.

Smt. Indira Gandhi the late Prime Minister of India in her famous state at the Stockholm conference, said that in the developing countries poverty is the biggest pollutant and conservation could not be achieved at the cost of the people. Obviously, conservation and development can and must go hand in hand.

Today unfortunately there are people who believe that there is more money in destroying environment than in conserving it. Tomorrow is not their concern. Population growth of both, human beings and growing animal sin the developing world is needed a potential threat to environment and the fruits of development. The link between population, resources, environmental quality and development is obvious.

Sustainable development is a concept of good and sound economic growth, a growth that can be maintained indefinitely with no or minimal damage to the environment. Good environment will ultimately beget good economics.

Exploding population, accelerated resource exploitation and development based on careless application of technology are the chief causes of the environmental crisis. Development, which is often accused of causing environmental disasters, is the very answer to these problems. It should not be environment or development; but environment and sustained development. It shall be development with a difference development based on scientific principles to ensure sustainability bereft of greed and exploitation. Science and technology, compatible with environment, is the remedy to the malady.