'Women's education key to check population explosion'

GUWAHATI: Prevention of child marriage and emphasise on women's education particularly in char (riverine) areas are key to check population explosion in the state.
This was stated by Sunita Changkakoti, chairperson of Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) while addressing a webinar on "Role of Women in the Society to Control Population Explosion in Assam" on the World Population Day organized by Janasankhya Samadhan Foundation (JSF) here on Saturday. Changkakoti said, "Child marriage is found in almost all the communities. Though child marriage has gone down to a remarkable level, it is still prevalent in the state. This needs to be stopped to control the population explosion."
She further said, "Importance should be given to women education in char areas to deal with the population explosion. The growth of Madrassa education in these areas is a matter of concern. Along with education, the creation of awareness on family planning and population control is also very important."
Meanwhile, Dr Ilias Ali - who was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2019 for his enormous contribution in population control for over a decade - told TOI that the state government has to focus on an all-round development, including women's education, as top priority for people living in the char areas to curb what chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called a 'population explosion'- which has stoked a controversy.
Ali said the char areas, mostly dominated by immigrant Muslims, lacked in development compared to other parts of the state. "Educate the girls, curb child marriage and empower the people with economic opportunity as top priority. Once it is done, the increase in population will be automatically controlled," he said.
Ali waged a war against population explosion alone in 2008. Traversing miles across Assam, especially to the char and tea garden areas by bus, boat, bullock cart or on foot, he has been promoting the message 'India can win the battle of grave socio-economic and environmental problems only by population control'.