The population of terrorist?infected Valley of Kashmir has been almost doubled during the past 25 years.
This has happened despite migration of over five lakh people, mostly Kashmiri Pandits and others who in Jammu also include about six thousand Muslim families who have been registered as political migrants. In addition to this about 30,000 persons were killed and 7000 women were widowed because of terrorist violence related incidents.
This abnormal growth in the population of the Valley has been due to various reasons but the religious fundamentalism has played its major role with a design to harm India, to bleed India and defeat its family welfare schemes.
In early eighties when countrywide family welfare schemes were launched to check the population explosion, in the Valley of Kashmir some religious fundamentalists including several Mullahs and Molvis openly denounced these schemes and went to an extent in announcing awards for those who produce more and more children.
Notwithstanding this opposition, the announcement of certain incentives including increments to employees opting for sterilization, many availed such incentives.
Interestingly in certain areas of the Valley several government employees availed the incentives but later on produced children. And they shifted the onus upon the doctors by alleging that their operations were not successful.
After the outbreaks of armed militancy in 1989, the concerned staff linked with the operation of family welfare schemes were openly threatened with dire consequences if they indulge in implementing the government schemes.
Several ultras including foreign terrorist Commanders allegedly also played their amazing role in increasing the growth of population by employing various tactics including having forced marriages, illicit relations etc.
Even after the claims about the improvement in the situation of Kashmir, there are still many areas where the staff did not dare to carry out implementation of family planning programs.
The result is that no target is being achieved even after spending huge sums from the Indian exchequer.
The highest growth of population has been recorded in the districts of Kupwara and Baramulla bordering Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
As per the census conducted in 2001 the population growth of Kupwara district between 1981 to 2001 was as high as 94 per cent and in the adjoining district of Baramulla it was 83 per cent. And during the past over five years now there has been no implementation of family planning programs. According to reliable reports about 20 per cent more increase has been recorded in these areas during the past six years.
Significantly, in Jammu areas where the family planning schemes were implemented, the growth in the population has been recorded about 50 per cent although large numbers of migrants from the Valley of Kashmir have settled in Jammu areas.
The lowest population growth has been recorded in the Hindu dominated district of Kathua where it was found an increase of 46 per cent between 1981-2001.
There was no census in Jammu and Kashmir in 1991 because of problems of terrorists.
The big growth in the population of the Valley is obviously adversely affecting the developmental activities and increased demand for foodstuffs.
More than this the way the things are going on, it is clear aspersion on the authority of the government. It is also creating doubts about the bonafides of certain ruling leaders itself.
