By Ayushi Budholia
Published on: 07 August 2022 at 23:45 IST
INTRODUCTION
Overpopulation is defined as a situation in which the number of individuals exceeds the carrying capacity of the ecological setting.[1] In such situation the available elements that are essential for carrying out human development and survival might fell short of the total population of that specific area.
The population in the world is increasing at an alarming rate. It is a rising concern for almost all the countries in the world. It results in various problems such as mass starvation, unemployment, increase in crime rates, prison overcrowding, pollution, etc. It requires effort at both national and international level to deal with the problem of overpopulation.
This article gives a short analysis of the effect of overpopulation at both national and international level, and also deals with steps taken to control the rising population.
OVERPOPULATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT
A person is said to be unemployed when at a particular wage rate, he is capable of doing work and is actively seeking for work but is not getting work. There are various causes of unemployment such as overpopulation, illiteracy, lack of resources, use of outdated technology, low level of investments, etc.
In India, the population is ballooning up at an alarming rate. A rising population puts many hurdles to the economic development of the country. It is accompanied by an increase in the labor force of the community, which leads to a significant portion of the population becoming unemployed.[2]
According to monthly time series statistics from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CIME), India’s overall unemployment rate was 8.10 percent in February 2022, but it declined to 7.6 percent in March.[3]
There are various schemes launched by the government of India for unemployment such as, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY), Skill India Mission, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), PM SVANidhi, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MANREGA), National Career Service, National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM), to name a few.
OVERPOPULATION AND ENVIRONMENT
There exits a direct connection between population growth and environment. At present the total population of the world is 7.6 billion. It is expected to increase up to 8 billion by 2025, 9 billion by 2040, and a whopping 11 billion by 2100.[4]
According to The Global Climate Report of 2019 published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average temperature since the 19th century has risen by 1.1 -degree Celsius.[5] The increase in population creates more demand of residence, food supply and other essential elements. This results in continuous deforestation, global warming, excessive farming, eutrophication, etc.[6]
Food is one of the basic elements of human existence. With an increase in population, the demand for food also increases. This increasing demand of food is met through excessive farming and deforestation to create new farm lands.[7] Apart from deforestation, farmers are also indulging in the activity of stubble burning. It is done to remove the paddy substitute from the farm land in order to sow wheat on the same farm land. The result of this practice is deteriorating air quality in winters in the region of Delhi and its neighboring cities.
The increase in population creates the demand of building new residence and more wooden products. To meet this need, forests are cut down. It has serious repercussions on environment and climate change. The loss of trees and ither vegetation causes soil erosion, increase in the emission of carbon dioxide, flooding, etc. Deforestation because of agriculture accounts for nearly 80% of global deforestation. Another 14 percent is attributed to logging, 5 percent to firewood collection, and the balance resulting from other causes.[8]
OVERPOPULATION AND CRIME
The increase in population has created a vicious circle of scarcity of resources, unemployment, poverty and increasing crime rate. As the number of people increase and the number of vacancies for a particular job remains same, there is a large chunk of people who remain unemployed. This increased unemployment makes it difficult for people to fulfill their basic needs. As a result, they fall under poverty. However, for the existence of human being, certain basic things like food, shelter, and clothing are required. To fulfill them, the person indulges into crimes such as theft, extortion, robbery, etc.
- Prison overcrowding
The increase in the rate of crime also creates the problem of prison overcrowding in different parts of the world. As a matter of fact, prison overcrowding id defined as a situation when the number of prisoners in a particular jurisdiction exceeds the total capacity for prisoners.[9] This problem exists not only in India but also in other countries like USA, Zambia, Philippines, etc.
In India, the problem of prison overcrowding exists for a decade. In 2019, the occupancy of Indian prisons was highest as it was occupied with 120% of capacity. This however, was decreased in 2020 by 1.9%.[10]
The most overcrowded prison in the world exists in Haiti. It is overcrowded with a capacity of 454.4% of their normal capacity. The second most crowded prison is the prison of Philippines which is overcrowded with a capacity of 436.0% of their normal capacity. It is followed by the prison of El Salvador and Zambia which are overcrowded with 348.2% and 303.0% of their normal capacity.[11]
STEPS TAKEN TO PREVENT OVERPOPULATION
The prevent overpopulation, it is necessary to take steps at both national and international level.
- International level
In 1962, the United Nation General Assembly had population issue on its agenda. A resolution was passed asking for intensified research by appropriate bodies and requesting that a questionnaire issue from the Secretary General to Member States to determine what problems and policies, if any, each Member State had concerning population growth.[12]
In 1966, Resolution for Population Growth and Economic Development was passed which provides for recognizing the sovereignty of nations in formulating and promoting their own population policies, with due regard to the principle that the size of the family should be the free choice of each individual family.[13]
- National level
Having a overpopulation prevention plan at a national level is as important as an having it on international level. Just like China adopted a one-child policy which it eradicated in 2016, India is also aiming at adopting a two-child policy. With this purpose, the Population Regulation Bill, 2019 was introduced in Rajya Sabha in July 2019. It provides for penal action against people with more than two living children, including debarment from being an elected representative, dismissal of financial benefits and decrease in benefits under the public distribution system.[14]
Apart from this, there are some states which have launched their own population control policy. In July 2021, the Uttar Pradesh Government introduced the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021. The Bill aims to reduce the state’s current fertility rate from 2.7 per thousand population to 2.1 per thousand population by 2026 and 1.9 by 2030.[15] There are other states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra were two child policy exists.
CONCLUSION
The issue of overpopulation is faced by various countries in the world. It results in increasing unemployment, poverty, pollution, crime rate, etc in the country. According a report of United Nations, India will become the most populous country in the world by surpassing China by 2027.[16] This report is an alarm for the country to take measures to prevent the overpopulation in the country. Though there are some states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra which have introduced their own policies to prevent population. But what the country actually need is a single population control policy for the entire nation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ayushi Budholia is a third-year, B.A.LL.B Student of Lloyd Law College, Greater Noida.
- What is overpopulation ↑
- Population Growth, Poverty and Unemployment in India: A Contemporary State Level Analysis ↑
- Unemployment rate decreasing in India: CMIE ↑
- The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation ↑
- The problem of overpopulation and its effect on the environment ↑
- The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation ↑
- The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation ↑
- The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation ↑
- Prison overcrowding ↑
- Data: Prisons in India continue to be Overcrowded despite COVID-19 ↑
- The World’s 10 Most Overcrowded Prison Systems ↑
- Population Growth and International Law ↑
- Population Growth and International Law ↑
- Population control in India – a violation of fundamental rights or a necessary step ↑
- Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021: A Critical Analysis ↑
- India may overtake China as most populous country even before 2027: Report ↑