Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SM)
 
Udupi Jul 12: Zilla panchayat, zilla health and family welfare, and Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Gramin Abhivrudha Yojana mutually organized the district-level ‘Population Day’ programme at Praghadhi Swodha, Brahmagiri, at 10.00 am on Wednesday July 11.

The aim was to impart awareness to all—small family happy family. The programme was inaugurated by Katapady Shankar Poojary, panchayat president, and Ramchandra Bairy, (DHO), was the chief guest.

Bairy said that population explosion is more dangerous than atomic explosion. “In the 1930s, birth rate and death rate were equal because of wars and incompatible diseases. In 1951, the population was at 36 crores while it went up to 120 crores in 201. In 50 years, this is an increase of 3.5 percent. In 1987, it was 500 crores and in 2050, it is expected to be 800 crores. The Indian population of the year is equivalent to the Australian population. In Karnataka, in 1951 it was 1.95 crores while in 2011, it stood at 6.11 crores and in 2050 is projected to be 50 crores. In Udupi, in 2001, the population was 11,12, 243 while in the year 2011, it was 11,77,908. This makes it 65,000 people in 10 years. In that, 5 to 10 percent are migrants. Birth and death rate in Udupi is very much balanced,” he said.

Bairy told the people of the district that implementation of family planning is important for a successful society. 

“Another important problem is that family planning is restricted to women only and the previous year only 34 cases were reported in which men came forward and this is very less. Status and literacy rate of women should be improved,” he added.

Poojary said, “’Navu eradu namage eradu’ has changed to ‘Navu eradu namage ondu’ and it should not further reduce to ‘Namage Navu’, so balance in the society is important.”

Jyothy Seetharam Shetty, vice-president, zilla panchayath, and Bharathy Chandra Shekar, vice-president, CMC, were present.