SUSTAINING

OVERPOPULATION: INDIA
Shelby Pariset

Dr. McNamara
International Sustainable Development
November 2016
Key Words: Population, demographics, urbanization, pollution, wastewater, environment,

sustainability, climate change, resource drain,

Introduction

India has the second largest population, following China, with 1.2 billion people. The

nation is experiencing a large demographic divide, has poor family planning programs, and is

experiencing large urbanization. These factors affect India’s overpopulation issues. Growing

populations cause resource strain and serious health issues. The world has never supported the

amount of life it is currently supporting. Globally, nations are experiencing climate change

issues. Climate change affects vital resources such as water and agriculture that nations rely on to

support their population. Since India supports one of the largest populations in the world, the

nation must effectively manage these resources so that they can sustain their economy and

society. Providing new policies and educational programs will help India manage resources and

sustain their growing population.

About India

India originated from the Indus Valley civilization millions of years ago, and was later

controlled by the Aryan tribes in the region in 1500 BC. Over time, India became scientific,

artistic, and cultural leaders of the world. The Islam culture and Muslim religion took over much

of the country, and India today is made up largely of Hindu and Muslim faith. India recognizes

fourteen official languages; however, the nation largely uses Hindi and English. The nation uses

the majority of its land for agriculture. India is on the path to an open-market economy and

includes farming, industries, and technology.

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 The official type of government in India is a federal parliamentary republic made up of

an executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch. The nation is made up of twenty-

nine states and seven territories. India is considered a regional power, next to China, and is on

the path to becoming a global power. In the last decade India has largely had conflicts with

Pakistan, which has had a large effect in defining the country. India and Pakistan became

independent states in 1947. Since the independence of the two nations have experienced political

and military conflicts, much of which revolves around the territory of Kashmir (Murshed).

Kashmir is in an Indian controlled area; however, Pakistan also has claims in the area, adding to

the major conflict between the two states. Neither of the two nations are signatories of the non-

proliferation treaty. Which has resulted in an unstable border between the two nations. India’s

military is stronger than Pakistan military forces and nuclear weapons were tested in 1998 by

both nations. India practices a ‘no-first-use’ policy, but continue to develop short and long range

ballistic missiles (Kay). The use of nuclear weapons would result in catastrophes for both

nations.

Population

India has a population growth rate of 1.17% (CIA factbook). The largest age groups in

India are zero to fourteen years of age (at 27%) and twenty-five to fifty-four years of age (at

41%) (CIA Factbook). These age structures show the demographic issues this country

experiences. There are noticeably more men than women in the country consistently at all age

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groups. This is a result of high rates of female feticide and infanticide throughout India

(Srinivasan, Padma, Lee).

This demographic divide can also

relate to the dowry system in India dating

back centuries. There is a correlation

between lower fertility and higher status

families (Srinivasan). The dowry system

Figure 1: Demographic difference in India (CIA
affects this because it requires the women’s Factbook)

family to pay the males family in money or

gifts for her to marry into the family. Many times, lower class families cannot afford for their

daughters to marry up in the caste system meaning the women cannot advance socially resulting

in greater demographic divide (Srinivasan).

Urbanization and Pollution

Urbanization is a growing trend throughout the entire world. As of 2016, 54% of the

world’s population lives in urban areas (World Bank Open Data). Urbanization affects

population growth as well as environmental concerns throughout India. Dr. McNamara, a

professor at the University of Nebraska Omaha, has had experience with these issues and seen

the effects firsthand in India. In his experience, population growth is affected because more often

women living in villages throughout India usually have more babies than those in higher caste

systems in urban areas (McNamara). There are a large number of males relocating to urban areas

which increase, not only the overall population in cities, but also, the difference in sex ratios

among males and females (Thakur, Baleswer, Parai).

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 India has an urban population of 33% (World Bank Open Data). This growing urban

population affects the environment by creating pollution, decreasing sanitation, and reducing the

water supply. Increasing urbanization results in deterioration of urban water supply because

demand becomes greater than supply, expansion is difficult to manage, and conservation of

water supply is almost impossible (Thakur). Urbanization also affects four factors of pollution:

industrial, noise, water, and air (Thakur). There is a 5% industrial production growth rate in

India, and industry accounts for 22% of the labor force (CIA Factbook). Increases in industry

causes industrial pollution by emitting harmful products into the air and water sources. Industrial

wastewater pollution is expected to double by the year 2025 (WWAP). Engineering industries

make up one of the largest generators of wastewater in India next to pulp and paper industries

and textile industries (Chand). The runoff from these facilities into water supplies is what causes

the polluted water.

Figure 2: Amount of wastewater caused by industries in India (Chand)

The Environmental Performance Index ranks countries on their performance towards

major environmental issues. India is one of 178 countries ranked and has ranked low,

considering their high GDP. New Delhi, Patna, and Gwalior are the top three most polluted cities

in India (Top 10 Most Polluted Cities in India). A majority of the pollution in these cities is

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caused by industries and agriculture. Pesticides are a large part of water pollution. Pesticides and

chemicals are used on agricultural in India and impact the water supply when used, especially

when monsoons cause runoff into rivers and streams (Chand). New Delhi is one of the most

populated cities in the country and is also, one of the most polluted cities in the world. India had

13 out of the 20 most polluted cities as of May 2016 (Aman). Pollution can cause respiratory

irritation, heart disease, lung cancer, a variety of infections, and asthma, among other serious

diseases. Indoor and outdoor pollution affect the health of children and adults. India proved to

have the highest death toll specifically because of pollution in 2015, almost 25% of deaths were

because of pollution (Prasad).

Climate and Resources

The world’s population is growing larger than it ever has in history, causing drastic

changes in climate. Many of these drastic changes are occurring in warmer climates and will

affect health by changing diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya (Bush). India

reported roughly 2 million malaria cases per year, mostly from areas in the countryside (Bush).

About 65% of malaria cases are reported from much of the eastern coast, including the territories

of Orissa, West Bengal, and Madya Pradesh. Andhra Predesh has the highest water demand in

India (at 47%), and uses much of the Krishna water basin as its source for water needs

(Pimentel). Due to both population growth and climate change, the availability of water is

predicted to decrease from 1820 m3 per capita to 1,000 m3 by 2025 (Bush).

India relies on water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses and, because water use

in India is unregulated, much of it goes to waste. The Krishna river basin is one of the largest

river systems in India. Much of this water depletion was used for expansive agricultural

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irrigation, decreasing the water supply downstream (Pimentel). Urbanization is a major

contributor to water supply, collection, treatment, and disposal problems. The Ganges river that

runs through the northeastern corner of India, produces 1/3 of the total wastewater in India and

about 80% of water used of domestic use in urban areas is wastewater which is untreated causing

pollution of surface water (Chand). Climate change, on a global scale, decreases the ice melt that

feeds into the Ganges and deforestation in the country cause subsoil streams into the Ganges,

resulting in dry up of the river (Kay). Many large cities with low standards of living do not have

proper sewage systems, allowing for polluted water to pass through homes by being used for

everyday tasks including bathing, laundry, and consumption. Cities like New Delhi, have sewer

systems, but weak infrastructure, causing leaks or overflows that allow polluted water to make its

way into the groundwater, spreading the pollution further.

Water scarcity and water stress issues can cause a myriad of problems for nations, from

social unrest to political tension. The Krishna water basin has led to interstate disagreements and

intense inter- and intra-state political struggles (Pimentel). The Ganges, also, poses problems

between India and Bangladesh. India controls the water supply from the Ganges to Bangladesh

through a hydro-project on the border of the two nations. India often reroutes water toward

Calcutta to avoid dry-up of the port during hot seasons, which results in Bangladesh not getting

enough water to meet its demand (Kay).

Current Solutions and Management

India does have many policies and organizations, both foreign and domestic, that help in

mitigating factors of population, including population growth and urbanization. Other

organizations have provided information on the effects of urbanization and population growth on

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the environment, especially relating to wastewater management and water supply. The Gates

Foundation has supplied India with a grant to ‘improve knowledge of influences and decision

makers in India to increase availability and quality of family planning services including access

to contraceptive options in the country’ (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). The foundation is

committed to cooperating with agencies and program promotion at different levels to stabilize

the population in India (Our Journey). Girl fetuses are not celebrated enough in the Indian

culture; because of the dowry system, girls are seen as expensive, and because they eventually

live with the male’s family, they are seen as an expense to some lower class families. The

Population Foundation of India has begun advocating ‘for the positive value of the girl child’ and

connects sex selective abortion with human rights issues (Our Journey). Quality care in

reproductive health services, laws, policies, and rights are also an issue for the Population

Foundation of India.

The Gates Foundation also partners with India’s central and state governments,

community groups, nonprofits, academic institutions, and private sectors to improve quality of

health, sanitation, agricultural development, and financial services for the poor (India). Open

defecation is one of the main focuses of sanitation for the organization. Over 200,000 children

die every year and poor health in children and adults is because of contaminated water due to

fecal matter (India). Almost 70% of human waste finds its way into the environment and while

urban areas can combat this with better sewer treatment facilities many rural areas cannot.

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 The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene program came up the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge

to end fecal matter pollution and create affordable sanitation solutions. The purpose of this

challenge is to effectively remove germs from human waste and reduce maternal and child

mortality (Reinvent the Toilet). The tippy tap project,

similar to the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, uses

simple common items to create handwashing stations

in developing countries where disease is common and

can be solved by simple handwashing. The tippy tap

project is another way India mitigates the spread of

disease and decrease child deaths. Diarrhea is the

second most common cause of child death in the

world and affects over 1.5 million children under the

age of 5, however handwashing can prevent diarrhea

rates by over 40% and increases newborn survival rates Figure 3: An example of Tippy Tap
(Save water, Save Lives)
by almost 44% (Save Water, Save Lives). Population in

India has been an issue for the government but there have never been major steps to control the

growth of population. In birth control information was provided by hospitals and health care

facilities but there were no official policies regarding contraceptive use or family size limitations.

The government of India believed stabilizing population growth was the key to economic

growth. Policy makers tried to educate young kids and adults about the population problem and

made it part of the school curriculum in areas through the Fifth Five-Year Plan (Population and

Family Planning Policy). Family programs did increase in the 1980s in rural and urban areas.

Although growth continued there did prove to be some population control in villages that were

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encouraged to use the family planning program, Project for Community Action in Family

Planning, and in the areas where this was used it seemed that women gained a higher status

empowering them to make a difference (Population and Family Planning Policy).

New Innovative Ideas

Due to rapid population growth in urban areas, cities have grown and have not been able

to plan or adapt quickly enough to the urbanization. Changing India’s infrastructure to include

education about family planning and the environmental dangers that threaten the nation India

will have to focus on these 4 main goals.

1. Research

2. Adapting

3. Creating education programs

4. Putting new policies in place

Putting research programs in place in India will give organization and policy makers

important information to plan and implement changes necessary to sustain resource use. The first

step to solving problems is gathering vital information that will help officials at the state and

local levels make the most informed decisions, regarding policy, for the nation. Adapting to the

changes will take time, patience, and practice. A big change that could have a huge effect on the

nation’s demographic issues is changing India’s dowry system. This system could be a large

reason why the nation has the demographic issues it does. India has implemented the dowry

system for thousands of years so because it is a historical part of the culture it will be hard to

migrate away from the system, but it could be a vital factor in controlling the population.

Adapting to urbanization will also help mitigate the pollution problems in cities. City planners

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will need to invent new ways for cities to work with growing populations. This includes where

water will come from in the future and more effective ways to provide clean water. Adapting to

changes will have to happen at physiological, behavioral, social institutional, and organizational

levels to truly be effective.

Creating new educational programs, along with the already existing programs, will provide

more information regarding family planning and how to prevent the population rise. Educational

programs can also provide information about sanitation and health to prevent death occurring at

all ages. Women’s education especially will increase the economy, decrease the birth rate, and

manage the dowry system by proving that women have a professional place in society. Putting

policies in place will help mitigate resource use and prevent resource drain in areas. Policies

aiming at corporation and chemical used on agriculture will decrease the amount of water

pollution and stabilize the water supply. Technological advances like new and improved

information systems to effectively monitor environment and even population growth in urban

and rural areas will help officials and organization make informed decisions regarding policies

and will aid in the invention of new systems to control resource use as well.

Conclusion

The history of India has made up much of the Indian culture we see today. The historical

dowry system along with urbanization cause a growing population. The increased population

results in an increase of air, water, and industrial pollution. The growing population causes

resource drain and climate change also affects the agriculture which reduces resources also. To

control these issues India must manage the population issue by increasing educational programs

emphasizing the importance of women in the workforce and health related programs that will

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decrease the death rate. By increasing women in the work force the birth rate will fall and there

will be more resources. Technological advances and new policies will also help India control

resource use in the future.

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Grade: 90%

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