Overpopulation is simply a condition where the number of existing individuals becomes more than the resources can support. Several things contribute to overpopulation such as lower mortality rates, improved medical services, and the loss of precious resources. Additionally, it happens when the death rate and the birth date are out of balance.
The increasing population is also a serious problem in India. It affects the development of the country and makes living very difficult. Because of this, most Indians live in poverty. The growing population of developing India blocks its growth rate. It deprives the people of essential things for life.
The population is the strength and beauty of any nation. The nation can attain happiness, prosperity, and glory only on the strength of the population. Developed nations can also raise their pride in the world on the strength of their internal manpower. But the excessive increase in population creates many problems for the nation. If this pace of population growth continues, then after two decades India will be more populated than China.
Causes of Overpopulation:
● The decline in the Death rate – Due to improved infrastructure and improved medical services, there is a decline in death rates compared to earlier times.
● Lack of Education – Uneducated people do not understand the importance of family planning and unknowingly increase the burden by reproducing more.
● Immigration – Immigration can also lead to overpopulation. When people move to a certain area with a large number of resources, it becomes a densely populated area.
The production of children is generally more in poor families. Parents struggle with the growing needs of their families by producing more children and are forced to stop them from going to school. The child is then made to work to help with the household expenses and then the uneducated and ignorant children will inherit the same fate as their father and like his father, he would have more children than necessary. Population growth also affects people’s standards of living.
Consequences of Overpopulation:
● Unemployment – When a large number of people compete for a smaller number of jobs, then not everybody gets it and some are left unemployed. The employment rate is largely affected by overpopulation.
● Starvation and Famine – When the rate of population increases, the resources start depleting and it results in conditions like starvation and famine.
● High Living Costs – The overpopulation problem increases the gap between supply and demand, which results in the rise in the cost of several necessities like food, housing, and healthcare. They must spend more money to support themselves and their family as a result.
Steps to be taken:
- Awareness is the key to many problems. The government should hold free sessions mainly for the poor and illiterate to at least make them aware of family planning as well as the consequences of overpopulation
- Education must be made free for people who cannot afford to send their children to school so that they can become better individuals and learn about these issues.
- Certain laws must be made that support people with fewer children so the other people might start producing less.
Arina
BSc Biotechnology
IFTM University
