Indian Kanoon - Search engine for Indian Law

In the beginning of this century, the world population crossed six billions, of which India alone accounts for one billion (17 per cent) in a land area of 2.5 per cent of the world area. The global annual increase of population is 80 millions. Out of this, India's growth share is over 18 millions (23 per cent), equivalent to the total population of Australia, which has two and a half times the land space of India. In other words, India is growing at the alarming rate of one Australia every year and will be the most densely populous country in the world, outbeating China, which ranks first, with a land area thrice this country's. China can withstand the growth for a few years more, but not India, with a constricted land space. Here, the per capita crop land is the lowest in the world, which is also shrinking fast. If this falls below the minimum sustainable level, people can no longer feed themselves and shall become dependent on imported food, provided there are nations with exportable surpluses. Perhaps, this may lead to famine and abnormal conditions in some parts of the country. (Source - Population Challenge, Arcot Easwaran, The Hindu, dated 8.7.2003). It is emphasized that as the population grows rapidly there is a corresponding decrease in per capita water and food. Women in many places trek long distances in search of water which distances would increase every next year on account of excessive ground water withdrawals catering to the need of the increasing population, resulting in lowering the levels of water tables.