Perils of overpopulation.

This post was published in Counter Currents on 19th July, 2017.

The Guardian,UK. had a  suggestion for the battle against climate change"Want to fight climate change.Have fewer children ." 

This was  known already & yet, since this has been extensively researched in a scientific fashion, this makes for a few headlines. And yet, will it make us, the humans ( ? ! )  any wiser ? Highly doubtful..We are  depleting natural resources at a faster pace than the speed with which they are  being  produced.And as population rises, because of copulating endlessly, extinction seems very near !

We  have got better at medical management. This means, that our average life spans have been rising, even in poor countries. Neo natal mortality rates have been falling worldwide. And yet, there are miles to travel, before population growth can stabilise. Many of us  humans think, that we are God's gift to the world. So , we insist, on giving birth to mini versions of ourselves who transform into  monsters like us, too soon & how ! And then, burden the earth further. The cumulative effect of so many  of our follies  is making it nearly impossible for other living things to simply  exist. In fact, the term rakshas or demons was coined for humans only. It appears to be so, as humans have no control whatsoever, on their greed to use up or rather waste each & every bounty of nature. This leaves the plants & animals helpless. That's why , we have floods, famines , etal. Wild animals come roaming around in urban & rural areas  Our actions of usurping all habitats for our selfish wants rather than needs, has led to this sorry state of affairs.

And yet, we seem remotely  interested in population control.Men particularly, Indian men , are notorious for avoiding    any device or method to rein in their raging libidos ! Because, they feel that adopting family planning methods ( temporary or permanent ) will reduce their virility.Though come to think of it, women in  India would be much safer, if that indeed would have been the case.   Women are forced to bear the burden of adopting temporary & permanent methods of planning families. This  reinforces, that the power to impregnate, without responsibility is an inherent, innate & inborn tendency of men. And this is on display, as rapes of females of all ages, have  been in the news,  almost on a daily basis !

Many   Indian women seem to opt for sterilization as the only family planning method. Nearly 68 % of 45 million women do not use any method of contraception. The rest, use traditional methods which are highly unpredictable.Though , many contaceptive methods are being added to increase choice, the switch has been slow.

In India , population growth seems to be slowing down. Despite this India will get more populous than China by 2024. Progress has been extremely sluggish as family planning is like the holy cow  especially with the present regime ( pun  intended) because of forced sterlisations during the Emergency.


It has been  stated, that seven million girls die every decade in India. This is  because, many times, the girl is killed in the womb itself .By some luck, if the girl child survives, she is neglected so much ,that she dies  in the first five years.Sex ratios in India have been falling in every State, in India,  except Kerela & Meghalaya. The discrimination is so rampant, that the second female child in a family is rare.

Educating girls & women has helped in slowing down population. This is true, even for states like Bihar & Uttar Pradesh. In Uttar Pradesh, a rise of 16 % in female literacy has reduced fertility rate by 1.1 over a ten year period from 2005-2006 to 2015-16.  Bihar has fared less better & yet, it shows that education is the key. Female literacy rose by 12% & consequently, fertility rate went down by 0.6.So girls need to be made literate so that they have control over their bodies & health. And this will transform into even lower fertility rates. All this, would lead to stablising of population.And even sex education needs to be imparted to prevent unwanted pregnancies ,etc.


Al Gore puts it so  succintly,"Population growth is straining the earth's resources to the breaking point , & educating girls is the single most important factor  in stabilising that.That, plus helpiong women gain political & economic power & safeguarding their reproductive rights."

This post was published on Women's Web on 29th July, 2017

The women in my life !

This is my blog post entry for Celebrating Girls,Celebrating Women contest on Women's web. 

When I was born ,my dad was away, with his friends.My paternal granny was very angry with my dad & she chided him no end.My paternal grandparents who stayed with us were thrilled with me -the first grandchild ! I was pampered no end.The birth of a girl ,  that is me ,was a cause of celebration !

I was brought a bottle to drink milk when I saw my baby brother sucking from a bottle & screamed for it.My granny would filter chaas or curds for me as I hated malai  which I do, to this day ! They wanted me to have curds -perhaps to cool me down. Gran would soak jalebis in water to soften them as I refused to eat hard jalebis ! All would comment ,"You are spoiling the girl ".And my gran continued to adore me.As I would retort back & argue at every statement ,many said that I was like my gran.The real test for my grandmom  was when I came of age.We are a very orthodox sect.So ,I was told to sit away for three days.One of our family friends learnt about this & talked to my granny.Next time onwards,I was treated normally as on other days of the month.Looking back,I feel ,my grand mom was simply waiting to embrace the new age beliefs that period or not ,a woman is the same, on all days of the month.

My bua or atya wanted a girl child.She became mother to two boys .This made her more near to me as she thinks I am her daughter as well.I am the only girl child in my family as also my bua's family.When I got my job,I brought sarees for my mom as also my atya. My bua was overwhelmed & she went about declaring this to the world ! Even now ,she buys clothes & other things  for me & I in turn, keep her in mind when I go shopping.Sometimes,we even shop together ! My bua could not study beyond school as money was hard to come by .That was the reason, she complimented me, when I became a double graduate .She feels, that it is she ,who has graduated not once but twice !

My mom has supported me through thick & thin.She keeps chiding me for arguing & fighting with my hubby & kid.She has taught me to cook & most important ,she still searches things for me when they are supposedly lost - which is most, of the times ! She took care of my baby while I went to office.She is very level headed & has ensured that I act practical, in life !

My  saas or mother in law is a gem of a person ! Whenever I go to her home,I just sit idle & gorge on food.I never get to do any work as I visit her once in a while ! She is thrilled, that I manage to wrap a saree on myself on occasions.She is content with the fact, that I am there, to take care of her son.

My bhabis are very understanding & we are like friends exchanging notes on kids,their studies,recipes,jobs,hobbies etal.In fact,sometimes,I feel more closer to them than to my brothers !

My only child ,a daughter & my neices ( again -the only child in their families ) are the youngest members in our families .My daughter was named by her paternal grandpa as she was the first girl grand child .The way they get treated, makes me wonder ,who is being discriminated & how  ! My daughter eats very few things- so bhindi fry is a weekly item through the year ! Another is paneer & chhole. Just for three persons,I end up cooking so many things.It is frustrating.I & my hubby have to keep adjusting to my daughter's whims & fancies.Even, when we go out for dinner,my daughter makes it very clear that she would prefer Punjabi or pizza or burger & we both end up eating stuff which she loves ! If this is the condition of the food ,one can imagine that all other things also are her way only.She is forever on her smartphone though she is a teen.My husband keeps chiding me that I must discipline her.He cannot do as he is busy touring,he says.The real reason, is that he cannot bear to annoy her & be in her bad books.

My neices are very loveable & affectionate just like other girls.They are doted by their grandparents,parents & all others.I am sure ,positive discrimination ( enshrined  in the Indian Constitution) favouring girls  & women  which is part of our family tradition, will continue to get stronger by the day ! Well ,this is what celebrating girls,celebrating women is all about !