Page 114 - DENG201_ENGLISH_II

English - II

Notes specific programmes. It puts special emphasis on states that have been lagging behind in containing
population growth to manageable limits.
The Government of India should make it mandatory for all its employees to adopt the ‘small family’
norm. Benefits of free schooling and medical aid to the children should be provided to the parents
adopting this scheme. Simultaneously, steps to make India a totally literate state should also be taken.
Only a literate country can march towards new goals or we would be plagued by the evils of population
growth. The words of A.K. Shiva Kumar, Development Economist, UNICEF would sum up the state
of affairs, “Stop counting people, and begin to count on people. Give priority to empowering them,
expanding their capabilities, and enhancing their freedom. Begin by assuring this generation of
children their right to education, health nutrition and a decent life. Then for all generations to come,
people will be our greatest asset.”

Key-words
1. bigoted—refusing to accept the opinions of others 2. potable—water fit for drinking 3.
demographic—relating to statistics of births, death, etc. 4. vicious cycle—continuing situation in
which one leads to another

Points to Remember:
1. India’s population statistics.
2. Reasons of population growth.
3. Population growth has led to many socio-economic problems.
4. Statistics of different states.
5. Measures undertaken by government to control population growth.
6. Need for population control.

4. Addiction to Drug
Bertrand Russell in The Conquest of Happiness has said that the sole reason of unhappiness finding
refuge in the heart of man is the unhindered growth of ‘self-centred passions’. These passions are
more often materialistic. And in the pursuit of materialistic passions, man becomes alienated from
the society. Failure in his pursuit often leads him to discontentment and dejection and he finds himself
a misfit in this world. In the modern world, none is unaffected by stress. The stress to outdo the other
in this mad rat race of consumerism often leads to depression. Even children are not spared from this.
They are supposed to fare better than their classmates in examinations and other co-curricular activities.
So man, right from childhood, has to face the brunt of being born in this fast changing society.
A section of the youth, unable to cope with the expectations of their loved ones, either end their lives
or experiment with drugs, for seeking temporary escape from the rigours of life. The illusive and
momentary escape and mental relaxation provided by the initial intake, encourages people to indulge
in them more often. The body then becomes totally dependent on drugs and cannot survive without
the daily dose. With regular intake, the amount required to produce the effect also increases. This
physical and mental dependence on drugs is called drug addiction.
Drug abuse is a psychiatric, psychological and social problem. While persons of all ages and at all
places are open to drug use, the most susceptible among them are the youth. It has attained the
proportions of almost an epidemic among the youth. It is mostly introduced to an unsuspecting
person by his friends and is usually observed that once addicted to drugs, they initiate others to
drugs. Some youngsters take to drugs because they want others to believe that they are superior and
mature, as such things are taken by older people. Some get addicted because they are poked fun at if
they do not use drugs. And some take drugs just to seek company or break boredom. In addition to
these, other factors that lead to drug addiction are — lack of parental care and supervision, lack of
moral and religious education, media and pop culture, broken homes, hatred for any authority, etc.
Seeking refuge in drugs relieve tensions, eases depressions and removes inhibitions, although the
period of ecstasy, is apparently short-lived.

108 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY