Poverty, Population and Sustainable Development

Poverty has come to be known as the greatest pollutant affecting the environment. Poverty syndrome is pronounced highly in the economic connotation. However, it has its ramifications in social, cultural, psychological and political dimensions in terms of manifolded deprivations, discriminations and disprivilege-ments that are accompanied by its presence among a segment of population. Population growth further adds fuel to the fire, especially in the context of developing nations as both poverty and population affect the environment adversely. Overexploitation of natural resources is likely to lead to the degradation of our environment, and our planet may find it alarmingly difficult to sustain our life and that of our future generations. Development of people, especially the increasing large number of the poor in the developing countries, through creating ecological balancing and technological innovations for sustained social life, not only for the present but for the future generation also, is a formidable challenge that needs to be met with. The present volume, which is a collection of essays by eminent scholars, both from India and abroad, in honour of Professor Victor S. D’ Souza, addresses some of these challenges in order to make sustainable development a viable proposition.