HUMAN POPULATION

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AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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A

6
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C

6.1 INTRODUCTION
About 250 years ago, humanity existed relatively small numbers with limited technologies. Any
environmental disturbances caused by people were local and usually well within the environments
capacity to absorb them. However in the last two centuries, the scientific and technological develop-
ment has occurred that have created environmental problems beyond nature’s assimilative capacity.
The main cause for environmental deterioration is the population explosion. The rapid growth of
human population is exerting tremendous pressure on the available resources like water air, land,
energy etc., causing a global environmental crisis. So the continuous growth in humans is not good
for healthy life on earth.
The following are the major reasons for the environmental damage:
• New industrial development creates lot of waste materials and pollutes the environment.
• Due to the growth of population, the available resources are over utilized.
• Introduction of new products also give more stress on environment.

Population
A population is defi ned as a group of individuals belonging to the same species which lies in a given
area at a given time. The study of population change is known as “population dynamics”.

Population Density
It is expressed as the number of individuals of the population per unit area or per unit volume. This
varies with respect to changes in the environment and introduction with other living organism.

Parameters Affecting Population Size

The study about the trends in human population is called demography. For any country, the changes
in population size are governed by four main parameters. These factors decide the increase (or)
decrease in population. They are:
• Birth rate (r) or Natality
• Death rate (d) or Mortality
• Immigration (i)
• Emigration (e)

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Birth Rate or Natality (r)

Birth rate is defined as the number of live birth per thousands people in a geographical area. It is
estimated that there will be a decline in fertility rate from 2.6 children per woman to slightly more
than 2 by 2050. According to 2007 estimation the average birth rate of the world is 22.69 births per
thousand people.

Death Rate or Mortality (d)

Death rate is defined as the number of death per thousand people in a geographical area. The advances
in the field of medicines have resulted the lower death rates. According to 2006 estimation, the aver-
age death rate of the world is 6.58 deaths per thousand people.

Migration
It is defined as the rate of change in population for a specific area, which is affected by the movement
of people into and out of the area.
• Immigration (i): It denotes the arrival of individuals from neighbouring population.
• Emigration (e): It denotes the dispersal of individuals from the original population to new areas.

6.2 POPULATION GROWTH

The rapid growth of the global’s population for the last four century results from the difference
between the rate of birth and death. The general trend in the population growth is explained as shown
in the following graph.

Figure 6.1 Global population growth trends in the last four centuries

Characteristics of Population Growth

• Exponential Growth: Now population growth occurs exponentially like 10, 102, 103, 104 etc.,
shows the dramatic increase in global population in the past 160 years.

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 Human Population and the Environment 155

• Doubling time: The population goes on increasing day by day. The time taken to increase the
population size in double is called doubling time.
The doubling time can be calculated by using the following method:
Doubling time = 70/r
Where r is the annual growth rate of the nation.
• Infant mortality rate: It is the percentage of infants, died out of those born in one year. Even
though this rate has decreased in the last 50 years the pattern differs widely in developing and
developed countries.
• Total fertility rates (TFR): It is the average number of children delivered by a woman in her life
time. The TFR value varies from 2 in developed countries to 4.7 in developing countries.
• Replacement level: Two parents bearing two children will be replaced by their off spring. Due to
infant mortality this replacement level is changed. But, due to high infant mortality the replace-
ment level is generally high in developing countries.
• Male–Female ratio: The balanced male–female ratio is very important for the society.
• Demographic transition: Due to the awareness about the impact of population and improved liv-
ing conditions, the death rate and birth rate decreases. The population growth is also reduced and
this condition is known as demographic transition.

Impacts of Population Growth (or) Consequences

of Population Growth
The following are the important impacts of population growth:
• The availability of resources like food and cloth etc., may be decreased.
• The standard of life style for the poor people is goes to very low level.
• The shortage of drinking water, land area, irrigation water will be the results.
• Providing the quality education to children is also not possible.
• Movement of very high vehicle in the towns pollutes the atmosphere.
• Poverty and unemployment problem araised.
• Problem is also arises in the power supply and providing medical facility to all.

6.3 VARIATION OF POPULATION AMONG NATIONS

Different regions of the world fi nd themselves at different stages of demographic transition from high
to low mortality and fertility. Their growth path also differs considerably, resulting in significant
shifts in the geographical distribution of the world’s population.
At present the world’s population has crossed 6 billions. This existing population is also not
evenly distributed; less developed countries have 80% population while the developed countries
have only 20%. Less developed countries (Africa, Asia, and South America) have 80% of total world
population and occupy less than 20% of the total land area. In the most developed countries like
USA, Canada, Australia, the population increases at the rate of less than 1% per year whereas in less
developed countries like South America, Africa and Asia, the population increases at the rate greater
than 1% per year.
Kenya is the fastest population growing country in the world, where 20 million people are residing.

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China and India’s population was above 1000 million in 2000 year. Its share is about one third of
the world’s population. Europe and North America accounts 14% of the world’s population.

Variation of Population Based on Age Structure

Age structure of population can be classified into three classes.
1. Pre-productive age group (0–14 years)
2. Re-productive age group (15–44 years)
3. Post re-productive age group (above 45 years)
Variation of population is now explained based on the above three classes.

Pyramid-shaped Variation of Population (Increase)

Example: India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria etc.
The age group between 0–14 years is more and the post reproductive population (above 45 years)
is less in the figure. It clearly indicates that the population growth will be high in future because the
large number of people will enter into the reproductive age will soon. The death rate will be less
because the ages above 45 years are less in numbers.

Figure 6.2 Pyramid-shaped variation of population

Bell-shaped Variation of Population (Stable)

Example: France, USA, UK, Canada etc.
The figure shows that, the pre-productive age group population (0–14 years) and reproductive
age group population (15–44 years) are more or less equal. So the people entering into reproductive
age group will not change the population and thus the population growth is stable.

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Figure 6.3 Bell-shaped variation of population

Urn-Shaped Variation of Population (Decrease)

Example: Germany, Italy, Sweden, Japan etc.

Figure 6.4 Urn-shaped variation of population

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The figure shows that, the pre-productive age group population (0–14 years) is smaller than the
reproductive age group population (15–44 years). In the next 10 years, the number of people in the
reproductive age group is less than the before, resulting in a decrease of population growth.

6.4 POPULATION EXPLOSION

Definition
The enormous increase in population, due to low death rate (mortality) and high birth rate (Natality)
is termed as population explosion. The human population is not increasing at a uniform rate in all
parts of the world.

Population Status
World population (2000 A.D): 7 billion (700 crore)
India’s population (2000 A.D): 1 billion (100 crore)
India’s population (2004): 102.8 crore

India’s Population is Expected to Exceed China’s Population in 2035

Expected population in 2035: 146 crores
Current annual growth rate: 1.94

Table 6.1 Population status of different countries in different years and in the near future
Population in crores
Country 1950 1992 2025
China 55.5 116.6 159.1
India 35.8 88.3 138.3
USA 15.2 25.6 29.6
Indonesia 8.0 18.5 28.6
Pakistan 4.0 12.2 28.2
Brazil 5.3 15.1 23.7
Nigeria 3.3 9.0 21.6
Bangladesh 4.2 11.5 21.2
Iran 1.7 6.0 16.0

Among the above countries, the most developed country like USA has a slow growth rate,
whereas the other developing countries have exorbitant growth rates.
• Birth rate of developing country = 45 per 1000 population
• Birth rate of developed country = 12.7 per 1000 population

Most Populous States in India

UP : 166 million
Maharashtra : 97 million
Bihar : 83 million
West Bengal : 80 million
Tamil Nadu : 63 million

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If we analyze the “quality of life” factors such as GNP, life expectancy, infant mortality etc.,
with the birth rate, low birth rates produces the higher “quality of life”.

Table 6.2 Quality of life factors for developing and developed countries
Sl. No. Quality of life factors Developing countries Developed countries
1. GNP per capita 176$ 22,634$
2. Life expectancy 49 77
3. Infant mortality (per 1000) 122 6.4
4. Child death (per 1000) 208 7.9
5. Safe drinking water 36% 100%
6. Calories for health life 95 130
7. Female literacy 20% 99%
8. Birth rate (per 1000) 45 12.7

Doubling Time
Population explosion can be better understood by considering the doubling time. Doubling time can
be defi ned as “number of years needed for a population to double in size”.

Table 6.3 Doubling time of population growth for developing and developed countries
Developing countries Developed country
Country Doubling time Country Doubling time
India 28 years United State 87 years
Turkey 28 years UK 231 years
Nigeria 27 years Italy 99 years
Saudi Arabia 25 years France 117 years
Pakistan 21 years Japan 58 years

Then human population is not increasing at uniform rate in all parts of the world. In many non
industrialized, poor developed countries like Asia, Africa and South America shows higher growth
rate. In contrast the population of industrialized, developed countries like USA, UK, France, and
Italy shows lower growth rate.

Causes (or) Reasons for Population Explosion

• Due to the medical facility the birth rate is improved.
• The life expectancy is increased.
• Better job opportunity.
• Unknowing about the impacts of population.

Effects of Population Explosion

• Infant mortality is one of the most tragic indicators of poverty. There are still 34 developing coun-
tries, where more than 10 children die before he or she reaches the age of five.
• Population explosion leads to environmental degradation.

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• Many of the natural and renewable resources like forest, grassland are also under threat.
• Increase in population will increase disease, economic inequity and communal war.

6.5 FAMILY WELFARE PROGRAMMES

The main objective of family welfare programme is the reduction of fertility rate and also ensuring
the good health for mother and child.
• The family welfare programme is considered as a priority area and a fully sponsored programme.
The first and second five year plans gave emphasis mainly to the clinical aspects of family planning.
• In the third five year plan, the clinical approach have been supplemented with Extension of
Education Approach”, which is mainly spreading of message regarding family planning.
• From the fourth five year plan onwards high priority was given for family planning activities and it
was proposed to reduce the birth rate from 35 per thousand to 32 per thousand by the end of plan.
• The main objective of fifth five year plan (1975–1980) was to bring down the birth rate to 30 per
thousand. The family planning services were integrated with Maternal and child Health (MCH)
and nutrition programme, so that it will be an attractive one as well as acceptable one.
• The main aim of sixth five year plan is to achieve the following:
■
Family size is to be reduced (4.4 children to 2.3 children)
■
Crude birth rate is to be reduced
■
Death rate is to be reduced
■
Infant mortality rate is to be reduced
• The seventh five year plan (1985–1990) with family planning programmes are carried out on giv-
ing emphasis on educating the mass regarding the programme.
• The eighth five year plan involving family planning were area projects assisted by World Bank,
which developed trained man power. One of the projects is the India Population Project (IPP),
which aims at improving health and family welfare services in the urban slums in the cities of
Delhi, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
• The following are the main strategies of the ninth five year plan regarding family planning.
■
To assess the needs for reproductive and child health at Public Health Clinic (PHC) level and
undertake area-specific micro planning.
■
To provide need-based, demand-driven, high quality integrated reproductive and child care.

Delivery of Family Welfare Services

The welfare of mother and child is mainly focused in this programme.
• Ensuring maternal health and providing necessary health care for safe motherhood.
• Ensuring reproductive health for the mother and child providing necessary health care facilities.
• Ensuring child health through protective, prophylactic and curative measures.

Family Planning Programme

It gives the very useful and valuable services to the people regarding the knowledge about birth
spacing, birth control and health care for pregnant women. The number of abortions and pregnancy
death is also reduced.

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Objectives of Family Planning Programmes

• To disseminate responsible parenting concepts including basic responsibilities of parents.
• To contribute to the reduction of maternal, infant and early child mortality.
• To address the issues on reproductive health in men and women and youth and adolescents.
• To reduce infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 infants.
• To achieve 100% registration of births, deaths, marriage and pregnancy.
• To encourage late marriage and later child-bearing.
• To encourage mother feeding.
• To enable the improvement of women’s health, education and employment.
• To prevent and control of communicable diseases.
• To make school education free and compulsory up to age 14.

Fertility Control Methods

• Traditional method: It includes some traditions like taboos and folk medicine.
• Modern methods: It includes some important birth control techniques like mechanical barriers,
surgical methods, chemical pills, and physical barriers to implantation.
• More than 100 contraceptive methods are on trial.

Family Planning Programme in India

• In 1952, India started the family planning programme.
• In order to reduce the birth rate, Indian government forced family planning campaign all over the
country in the year 1970.
• Indian government legally raised the minimum age of marriage for men from 18 to 21 years and
for women 15 to 18 years in the year 1978.
• In 1981, census report showed that there was no drop in population. Since than fi nding for family
planning programmes have been increased further.
• The declining of fertility rate is the major contribution of family planning programme to the society.
• In most of the developing countries, the unwanted birth is to be reduced and in 2100, the world
population will be more than 10.0 billion.

6.6 ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH

Environment is closely related to human health. The human health involves both physical and mental
health. We can avoid various kinds of diseases caused by the polluted environments, if we keep our
environment clean and neat. Many of the epidemics spread out through the mediums such as food,
water and air. The pathogenic bacteria and viruses contaminate as well as multiply rapidly in unpro-
tected food, water and air.
Rural people attracted to urban industrial areas in the hope of jobs are to live with unsafe water,
toxic fumes and densely populated conditions. As a result, they are prone to tuberculosis, viral infec-
tions and other contagious diseases.

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Table 6.4 Types of health hazards

Sl. No Health hazards Examples and causes
1. Communicable disease Malaria, Diarhoea, respiratory infections
2. Non communicable disease Poisoning, pollution, dust
3. Malnutrition Micronutrient deficiency, lack of adequate food.
4. Injury Traffic disorders, crashes, and collisions, occupational injury
5. Mental disorder Abuse, stress

Epidemics
The epidemics can be classified into three categories based on the mode transmittance.
1. Diseases spread from person to person directly are mainly sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
such as AIDS, Syphilis, and Gonorrhea etc.
2. Diseases spread through food, water and air.
i. Diseases such as cholera, typhoid, jaundice, diarrhea, and amoebiasis etc., spread through
food or water.
ii. Diseases such as influenza, whooping cough, small pox, chicken pox, tuberculosis etc.,
spread through air as medium.
3. Diseases can also spread through small animals like rat as well as insects like mosquitoes.
The deadly plague disease is spread through rats. Diseases like malaria, filaria, etc., are spread
through mosquitoes.

Health Effects Due to Water

• Most of the health problems arises due to the polluted water.
• Almost 5 million children and nearly 80 million peoples are affected by diarrhea, typhoid and
other water borne diseases.
• Due to water borne diseases nearly 73 million work days are lost.
• The total hygienity will affected by polluted water.

Health Effects Due to Air

About 70% of the world’s urban population breathes unhealthy air. The use of leaded petrol and traf-
fic congestions in developing nations create health hazard. Even rural residents suffer from indoor
pollution causes diseases such as cancer, respiratory, heart and lung diseases, genetic defects and
mental retardation.

6.7 HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENT

The UN Human rights commission (UNHRC) was established in the year of 1946 with the associa-
tion of all world countries. The Universal Declaration of Human Righs (UDHR) was released on
December 10th 1948 and gave the emphasis to “Right to life”.

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Functions of UNEP
• To create awareness in the protection of environment.
• To save and protect the animals and plants which are on the verge of extinction.
• To protect the cultivable lands from turning into deserts.
• To convene international conferences to achieve these goals.
An executive committee consisting of 50 members was constituted. This core body collaborates
with the other subsidiary organs of the UNO like the UNESCO and WHO, for the purpose of protect-
ing the eco system.
UN general Assembly, on October 28, 1987 passed a resolution on the World Chamber of Nature,
“Nature shall be protected and the essential process shall not be impaired”, the resolution urged.
The Stockholm conference was followed by a second international conference at Geneva. It was
convened by UNO. An International group of experts on human rights and environmental protection
participated. The Declarations of principles of Human Rights and the environment has drafted on
May 16, 1994. The relationship between the human rights and environment is greatly discussed in
the above said international meet.

Human Rights
Human rights are the fundamental rights, which are possessed by all human beings irrespective of
their castes, nationality, sex and language. These rights cannot be taken away by any legislature or
any government act.
India is a democratic country. The aim of our government is to ensure happiness to all the citi-
zens with equal rights, opportunities and comforts. Every citizen must enjoy certain rights and also
has certain duties towards the country.
The following are the important fundamental rights that have been guaranteed to human
beings.
• Human right to freedom: The entire citizen has the freedom to assemble in any place and they
have the freedom to express their views.
• The citizen has the freedom to start association and they can do any kind of profession.
• Human right to property: They can earn money in a right way and they are permitted to buy any
property.
• Human right to freedom of religion: All the citizens are equal before law and everyone has the
freedom to choose their religion and to manage religious affairs.
• Human right to culture and education: They are having the equal rights to maintaining their
culture, language, etc.
• Human right to Constitutional remedies: If any fundamental right is denied to any citizen they
can go to court and the court has the right to protect.
• Human right to equality: All are equal before law and everyone has the equal employment
opportunity.
• Human rights against exploitation: The child labour is prohibited and all are has the right to fight
for over exploitation of resources.
• Human rights for food and environment: Everyone has the rights to get safe food and water.
• Human rights for good health: The citizens can have good health.

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Indian Constitution
Indian constitution provides for civil, social, cultural, educational and political right including the
right to judicial enforceability.

• Article 14: It provides equality before law.

• Article 15: It prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, caste, sex or place of birth.
• Article 16: It provides for equal opportunity for all citizens in matters related to employment.
• Article 19: It provides for freedom of speech and expression, forming associations, and union and
so on.
• Article 20: It provides for protection from conviction except in accordance with the law of the
land.
• Article 22: It lays down the rights of a person in custody.
• Article 23: It prohibits traffic in human beings and all other forms of forced labour.
• Article 24: It prohibits the exploitation of labour children.
• Article 25: It guarantees freedom to profess, practice and propagate a religion of one’s choice.
• Article 26: It authorizes the right to establish and maintain charitable and religions institutions.
• Article 27: It prohibits compulsion to pay any tax meant for promotion of any religion etc.
• Article 28: It guarantees the secular character of instruction in educational institutions etc.
• Article 29: It guarantees to the minorities the right to conserve their language etc.
• Article 30: It guarantees the right of linguistic minority and religions to establish and administer
educational institutions etc.
• Article 31: It provides for right to constitutional remedies for the enforcement of fundamental
rights by appropriate proceedings in the Supreme Court of India. Constituents with these provi-
sions, the Central and State governments have framed a number of laws to preserve and safeguard
basic human rights.

6.8 VALUE EDUCATION

Education is a methodical effort towards learning basic facts about humanity. Education is the most
powerful tool present in human beings for all round development, individual and social transforma-
tion. Education with moral and ethical values alone can sustain culture and civilization.
The true meaning of education is a harmonious development of head, heart and hand.

Significance (or) Importance of Value Education

• It is very important for everyone.
• The essential value education should have the three components.
■
Intellectual component—aim for the growth of community and country.
■
Moral and ethical component—tune the tradition and civilization of people.
■
Practical work component—to have integrity, honesty and sincerity.
• It is our duty to uphold the various types of values in life such as cultural values, universal values,
personal values and social values.

Thus, value education is always essential to shape a person’s life and to give him/her an oppor-
tunity of performing himself/herself on the global stage.

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Objectives of Value Education

The important objectives of value education are as follows:
• The awareness and attitudes are to be created towards for the improvements of sustainable life
style.
• To know about national integration, history of the country, cultural heritage etc.
• To gain the knowledge about environment, biodiversity, living and non-living things etc.
• The significance role and values of human beings are to be known.

Types of Values
The important types of values are:
• Universal values or social values: Universal value tells us about the importance of the human
conditions. These values are reflected in life, joy, love, compassion, tolerance, service, truth etc.
• Cultural values: Cultural values vary with respect to time and place. These values are concerned
with right and wrong, good and bad, true and false and behaviour of human beings. It is reflected
in language aesthetics, education, law, economics, philosophy etc.
• Individual values: Individual values are our personal principles and the result of individual per-
sonality and experiences. Parents and teachers are the main key to shape our individual values. It
is reflected in individual goals, relationship, commitments etc.
• Global values: Global values stress the concept, that the human civilization is a part of the planet
and nature and national phenomenon over the earth is inter-connected and inter-linked with spe-
cial bonds of harmony. If this harmony is disturbed anywhere there will be an ecological imbal-
ance which leads catastrophic results.
• Spiritual values: Spiritual values promote conservation and transform our consumeristic
approach. It is reflected in self-restraint, self-discipline, contentment, reduction of wants etc.

6.9 HIV/AIDS
HIV is known as human immuno deficiency virus. The body’s immunity system is affected and the
body cells are damaged. Making of new cells by the body cannot be possible because HIV domi-
nates. More than 25 million peoples are killed by this disease.
The last stage of HIV infections is called AIDS and it is known as acquired immune deficiency
syndrome. The total immune cell counts comes down and the life threatening infections are
developed.

World Scenario
Nearly 90% of the people who are infected with AIDS live in developing countries. 13% of world’s
population lives in Africa, almost all states of African countries were affected by HIV. About 3 mil-
lion people so far died due to HIV/AIDS in 2003. AIDS is rapidly spreading in Eastern Europe and
Asia.
India ranks second in the world with 5.1 million HIV/AIDS affected people. The percentage is
lower than Thailand, Myanmar and South Africa.

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Scenario in India
The largest number of infected cases has been found in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, followed by
Delhi, UP, Karnataka, and Goa. In Tamilnadu alone, till September 2003 a total of 24,667 cases of
AIDS have been found out.

Mode of HIV/AIDS Transmission

• Hetero sexual is the main way of transmission of virus from one body to another body.
• Due to the sharing of needles or syringes
• The babies are affected by the infected mothers.
• Homosexual activity is also cause HIV/AIDS.
• Breast feeding by the infected mother is also the one of the method of transmission.

Symptoms of HIV/AIDS
• Continuous cough for more than one month and skin disease.
• Fever, viral and fungus infection
• Decrease of body weight
• Continuous fever for more than a month
• Neurological disorders and loss of hair in the head.

Screening Test
It can be easily confirmed by the blood tests. The highly reliable test for HIV is Elisa Western blot test.

Control of AIDS
Safe Sexual Activity and Sex Education
Since AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease due to mainly prostitution and homosexual activity,
proper moral education as well as safe sex education in using good condoms etc., should be given to
the illiterate as well as the public at large.

AIDS Education and Educating the AIDS Patients

The public should be educated regarding the severity of the disease. For AIDS there are no vac-
cines or no remedial medicines have been so far successfully discovered. The AIDS patients have
to undergo a gradual deterioration process to death. Since the HIV affects the immune system by
destroying the lymphocytes (white blood corpuscles) count, the AIDS patient is highly vulnerable to
any kind of infection from cough, cold etc., to jaundice, cancer, typhoid etc., and cannot be treated
through any kind of antibiotics or any other kind of drugs due to the patient shattered immunity sys-
tem. Finally the AIDS patient will become a prey to any one of the severe kind of infections.
The public should also be educated to treat AIDS patients with sympathy and concern. Since
AIDS will not spread through air or water or by mere body contact. People should be educated not

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to isolate them. Clinical and social workers should be specially trained for the welfare activities of
AIDS patients.
In the high school level itself, proper education regarding the prevention of AIDS and the clinical
and social aspects of AIDS should be taught in the class rooms.

Educating Illiterates as well as the Educated Public About AIDS Prevention

Measures Using Different Medias
Various Medias such as radio, television, wall posters, pamphlets, booklets, etc., should be efficiently
made use for educating the public to be cautious about AIDS. The public should be educated regard-
ing the various ways of transmission of the disease.

6.10 WOMEN AND CHILD WELFARE

Women and child welfare have been stressed in the government’s agenda of social, reforms and
initiatives since 1947 onwards. The basic provisions of Indian constitution that guaranteed justice,
liberty and equality to all citizens and specific articles and amendments have been enacted to ensure
that women and children to enjoy the constitutional lights in the functioning of society.

Women Welfare and Development

The Government concentrates the women’s welfare in the 5th five year plan.
During the period of 1980–85 (Sixth Five Year Plan) more recognization was given to the women
welfare and considered as a separate target group.
The total population of the women is more than 48 % (as per 1991 census) of the total population
and therefore the government was seriously discussed about the women welfare. Because the women
development plays a vital role in the country development.

Women’s Rights and Privileges

In order to overcome the difficulties faced by the women’s in the area like socio economic, educa-
tional and political fields, the government of India constitutes some important articles to provide
equality and empowerment of women.
Some of the articles constituted for the development of women in society are given below:
• Article 14: It states that equal rights and opportunities for men and women in the political, eco-
nomic and social spheres.
• Article 15: It prohibits discrimination against any citizen on the grounds of religion, caste and sex.
• Article 15 (3): It makes a special provision enabling the state to make positive discriminations in
favour of women.
• Article 15 (A) (e): Condemn the practices derogatory to the dignity of women.
• Article 16: Provides for equal opportunities in matter of public appointments
• Article 39 (a): It states that state shall direct its policy towards securing all citizens, men and
women equally the right to means of livelihood.
• Article 39 (c): It confirms that equal pay for equal work.

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• Article 42: It directs the state to provide the citizens the just and humane conditions at work and
maternity relief.

Policies Concerning Women’s Development

Various policies advocating women’s welfare and development have been evolved by the government.
Some of them are given below:
• The National Plan of Action for Women (NPA) 1976.
• The National Perspective Plan for Women (NPP) 1988–2000.
• Sharma Shakti 1988.
• The National Nutritional Policy (NNP) 1993.
• The National Plan and Action for the Girl Child (NPA) 1991–2000.
• National Commission for Women’s Act (New) 1990.

Child Welfare and Development

The child welfare and development is one of the essential area to concentrate for the development of
the nation.
The government of India constitutes some of the important norms/policy in order to improve the
child welfare and action also be taken in the following area.
• Free and compulsory education upto the age of 14.
• Care was taken to monitor the health, nutrition, immunization, etc.
• To avoid the dropout of the primary education.

National Policy for Children

In India most of the children are under the poverty line. They are also educationally and socially
backward.
In 1974, the Nation policy for children was started to implement the child development pro-
grammes and to give equality to poor children.

Various Organizations Towards Child Welfare

UN Conventions on Rights of Child or International Law
It formulated a set of international standards and measures to promote and protect the well being of
children in our society.

Rights of the Child

The international law defines right of the child to survival, participation, development and protection.
• The right to survival: It emphasis on good standard of living, nutrition and health.
• The right to participation: It means freedom of thought and appropriate information to child.

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 Human Population and the Environment 169

• The right to development: It ensures access to education, child hood care and support, social
security and recreation.
• The right to protection: It means freedom from exploitation in human treatment and neglect.

World Summit on Child

It hard focused agenda for the well being of the children targeted to be achieved in the beginning of
the new millennium.

Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)

It concentrates on child’s health, education, nutrition, clean and safe drinking water, sanitation and
environment.

6.11 ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN ENVIRONMENT

AND HUMAN HEALTH
Information Technology is one of the growing technology which is very useful for maintaining
the healthy environment. The information collection, processing, analyzing and communication to
all the people in the world can be possible by using this technology with a single network. For the
development of the country this technology plays a very vital role. More numbers of software are
developed on the environmental aspects and all the people can understand about the details through
the internet, worldwide web, GIS, etc.

Applications of IT in the Global Environment

• The geomatics is one of the important fields of IT in environmental studies and the term comes
from the combination of geodesy and geoinformatics.
• By using this technology, the geographic information is collected, analyzed and after interpreta-
tion it can be distributed.
• Geometrics involves in surveying, mapping, remote sensing, GIS, and GPS (Global Positioning
System).
• The satellite remote sensing technology is one of the important applications of IT in the study of
environment. It gives the information about the global environmental charges.
• The information about the minerals, forest fires, details about endangered and endemic species,
quality of water, rain, flood everything can be easily collected.
• Details about the wind velocity, arrival of monsoon rains, cloud coverage are to be detected.
• The satellite gives the information about the types of cloud cover, humidity, pressure, isothermal
temperature, expected rainfall, cyclone, tsunami, etc.
• The environmental studies about water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, etc., can be studied by
the use of remote sensing technology.

Role of IT in Human Health

• The areas like biotechnology, bioengineering etc., are developed by the applications of Information
Technology.

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 170 Environmental Science

• The DNA data base is also created by IT and it plays a vital role in human health.
• The human life style has been changed because of IT and gives more information about the types
of diseases and medical facilities available for treatment.
• The details regarding birth rate, death rate, and sanitation details are maintained by using IT.
• With the help of online facilities, people can get advice from the doctors.
• Administration of hospitals and maintaining the pharmacy is also very easy.
Information Technology is one of the growing technology and it is very useful for the develop-
ment of education, management and other environmental areas for the necessity of human population.

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