The world today faces many problems despite the fact that it has taken long strides in science, technology and knowledge. One such problem is over population especially in developing countries. The population is growing so fast, that it grows in geometric progression whereas economic goods grow only in Arithmetic progression that demographers say there will not be literally any standing space on earth for her teeming millions. Let us find out the causes for such a growth, the problem or problems such a growth causes and the possible remedies.

 

The fast growth in population can be attributed to good health, lowering of mortality rate, combating famine when and where it occurs. With the knowledge of science many killer diseases have been literally conquered. For instance, smallpox which used to take a heavy toll of lives has been eradicated from almost all countries, so too has cholera, plague and so on. Even Tuberculosis is kept under control.

The wave of flu which accounted for millions of deaths in 1919 was nothing but a common cold. Infant mortality has been reduced considerably by taking pre-natal and post-natal care. Child mortality is kept under check by protecting the child against Tetanus and Polio. Thus, while the number of deaths is reduced, there is no control on birth as a result the population is increasing at a runaway speed.

Again, periodic famine in certain countries used to take away the lives of thousands of people. Now with the better management of the world’s food, in the matter of production, storage and distribution, no part of the world needs suffers from famine. Add to this the better methods of producing more food that are being adopted. By using better manures and fertilizers, high yielding seeds, by pest control and water management there has been a revolution in food production. These are some positive conditions which contribute to the growth of population.

The growth of population has its problems as we shall see. As there are more and more mouths to be fed, there comes a great strain on the resources of a country; this is real in the case of developing countries with the result they are unable to push ahead economically. As food is not sufficient there is chronic malnutrition in these countries especially in women and children resulting in weaker population who would only economically be a drain on the country as their productive years will be short.

As health and education are the State’s affair, they affect the country’s finances. So in developing countries health and illiteracy continue to be the problem. The unwieldy growth of population leads to the problem of housing and sanitation. In many countries the slums are a sore to the eyes. Slums grow round big cities and are found with all the drawbacks. These are the areas of disease, filth and crime. 

Now people have realized the dangers of over population. Every country is caught up with this problem and population growth control has become an economic necessity. In fact, it is a survival necessity. Family planning has become a household word.

Though there have been objections on religious arid other grounds, people have come to accept family planning as a fact of life. Some countries have taken it seriously that it has become a national effort. Through mass media people are being warned and educated. Inducements are made in the forms of free treatment, earned leave and cash gifts. Men and woman in their productive age can get themselves sterilized. Vast research is going on to introduce simpler methods.  

Still the world may be saved from population explosion. May be there are more Green Revolution miracles up the sleeves. May be birth control miracles in the next ten years may save us. Right now, the whole world seems bored with Family Planning. Can the world afford the luxury of such boredom? 

The world from the dawn of civilization has been enjoying sports. One of the pastimes of the rulers was to arrange for periodical sports. It may be hunting, chariot race, horse riding, wrestling and boxing. Organized sports were popular in Greece, especially Olympia from which modem Olympic Games have derived their names. Sports were for fun and frolics. In the Middle Ages sports were very popular in European countries. Sports are supposed to develop many good qualities. There may be healthy competition and rivalry and never enmity or bitterness. It is and should be for the sports’ sake and not for winning the laurels. This is the real sporting spirit. There are rules and regulations in play and games. The sporting spirit implies the following of rules whether one wins or loses. The outcome or the result is not the important thing but how the game is played.

A real sportsman takes things easy. Take for instance, an angler sitting by the river side from morning till evening, casting his line into the water. He may not always be lucky to have a catch. Still, he whistles back home happy in the evening when the night sets in. It is not the catch that is the point but the angler’s attitude. He cannot grow angry and break the fishing rod. Then he has lost the fun. So too in any game the winner or the loser, much more so the latter must be able to take things easy. A real sportsman does not lose his head when he wins nor is he bowled over when he loses.  

The crux of the problem is whether a sportsman plays the game; in other words, if he strictly follows the rules of the game and never adopts foul means to get a win. But unfortunately, this point is missing. In certain modem sports, games like horse racing, they dope the horses. The Olympic games where one expects the ideas to prevail seems to be no exception. There are instances of doping and impersonation, and hence vigorous tests are given, and the competitors are checked seriously.

When the sporting spirit is absent or missing, naturally very unpleasant consequences ca, ensue. Very ugly scenes are more often the rule in football matches. Referees are manhandled and the crowd becomes partisan. Cricket was a king of games where such behavior was unheard of. But of late, even in cricket unpleasant things do happen; when a player is signaled out by the umpire, he loses his temper and grimaces at the umpire and so on and makes a show of his unpleasantness. Bowlers are being very often warned. All these result from lack of sporting spirit.