Report on population
The report by the United Nations Population Fund estimating India’s population to have hit the 146.39 crore mark is alarming (Page 1, June 11). We face a ticking time bomb. At a time when poverty, inequality and unemployment levels have gone up, there is a dire need to arrest population growth on a war footing.
Prabhu Raj R.,
Bengaluru
While concerns over overpopulation have long dominated policy discussions, we are now entering an era where population stabilisation and eventual decline must be viewed through a different lens.
The projected peak of 170 crore in the next four decades indicates a crucial window for India to reap the demographic dividend. However, with declining fertility comes a future risk of an aging population, a shrinking workforce, and growing health-care burdens. Let this demographic shift be a catalyst for smarter and more inclusive policy-making.
Chidanand Kumar,
Bengaluru
Some States still have high fertility rates while others are well below replacement, creating uneven demographic shifts. The key is balanced population management, ensuring economic, social and environmental sustainability and good health for all.
Dr. O. Prasada Rao,
Hyderabad
A serious population survey should tell us whether India’s population has attained a state of constancy or decline. Political partisanship should not deter us from undertaking this survey. This true picture should enable the recalibration of allocations and essential services.
M.V. Sridhara,
Mysuru
Cargo ship fire
The blaze on the M.V. Wan Hai 503 off the Kerala coast is more than a mid-sea mishap. It is a searing indictment of maritime risk management.
The accident also exposes gaps in pre-emptive tracking, hazardous cargo disclosure and real-time monitoring.
India needs a robust marine emergency protocol and international collaboration for hazardous cargo ships transiting in our waters. Let this not drift into a routine and post-crisis clean-up operation. Prevention must sail ahead of reaction.
Gopalaswamy J.,
Chennai
Crime and media content
The report, on a murder in Meghalaya, is disturbing. In this connection, questions need to be raised about content being aired on some television channels, on crimes. In the name of presenting “dramatised versions of crime cases, with a view to opening the minds of viewers”, more harm may be being caused.
Sarah Abraham,
Ponda, Goa
Published – June 12, 2025 12:24 am IST