By The Editor
According to the United Nation’s World Population Day, global population was projected to reach eight billion on November 15 and India is likely to be the most populated nation by the year 2023 surpassing China. By the end of the Ice Age at about 10,000 BCE size of human population was approximately between 100,000 and 1,000,000 which in 5,000 BCE rose to between five and twenty million. First billion mark was crossed around 1800 CE, second billion in 1930, third billion in 1960, fourth billion in 1975, fifth billion in 1988, sixth billion in 1999, and seventh billion in 2010. So it took lesser and lesser years for each billion increase until 2010 but slightly more for the eighth billion which is projected to take more time for each subsequent billion increase in future. Demographers observed that at this rate it will take about 15 years until 2037 to reach nine billion which indicates that population growth is slowing down. Medical science and research concerning population control is improving much and it is expected that there will be great positive correlation between population growth and development which is healthy trend.
Population Foundation of India (PFI) suggested that what has happened in the country should not be viewed as bad omen for the future but rather as opportunity for proper planning and human resource management for overall growth and prosperity of the nation while at the same time taking great care of the environment. United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guerres said, “It is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where will fall short of our commitments to one another”. Nevertheless, we ought not to be complacent and therefore take enough precautions not to land into trouble. In this connection, it is worth taking note what Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Liu Zhenmin, rightly reminded; “The relationship between population growth and sustainable development is complex and multidimensional.” World’s population is projected to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050 which will peak at around 10.4 billion in 2080s and remain there until 2100.
In 1798 the English economist Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) and an Anglican Christian Priest said in his famous Essay on the Principle of Population that population increases at faster rate than food supply does which might lead to starvation and death. This work was published anonymously for it was feared that some oversensitive person might be shocked that a person had written a book on population. According to Malthus if diseases, conflicts and wars do not happen then the world would be doomed. PFI executive director Poonam Muttreja said that skilled population is strength and “we must see people as creators of resources” but at the same time preserving our planet.