Page 35 - Health, Population and Environment Education 10

cut down forest so as to extend the cultivable land and settlement areas. Moreover, people
randomly and massively utilize chemical fertilizers on land. As a result, there is increase
in land pollution as well as decrease in soil fertility and food production. Similarly,
increase of population has caused random extension of settlement areas thereby leading
towards decrease of cultivable land. Due to decrease of cultivable land, food production is
reduced. In order to fulfill the increased demand of food by population growth, country
has to import more food from abroad which causes increase in price of food. Thus, more
and more people cannot get sufficient amount of food and ultimately their living standard
is decreased. In the context of Nepal, every Nepalese should have 2256 calorie of energy
everyday. But, people are getting only 1815 calorie of energy everyday. When people do
not get sufficient amount of food containing all the required nutrients like carbohydrates,
proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, they will suffer from malnutrition. Malnutrition
seriously affects the physical and mental development of people.

g. Effect on Clothing
Clothes are also equally important in our life.
People need to wear suitable clothes according
to the weather and climatic condition of a place.
They need to wear thick clothes in winter and
thin clothes in summer. Due to population
growth, there is increase of demand of clothing.
But there is establishment of limited clothing
industries in Nepal. Even there is increase of
deforestation with the increase of population.
As a result, there is scarcity of raw materials for Fig: 9
clothing industries. Moreover, there is increase in demand of clothing due to population
growth. Hence, the demand of clothing is high but the supply is less. Then, the country
needs to import large amount of clothing from abroad. This leads towards increase in price
of clothing as well. There is a serious impact on the overall economy of nation with more
imports. The increase in price of clothes makes many problems to the poor people.
h. Impact on Housing
Housing is also one of the basic needs
of people. People need to have better
housing with required facilities in it. Due to
population growth, there is random extension
of settlement areas which leads towards
unmanaged urbanization. Unmanaged
urbanization makes serious problems for the
management of drinking water, drainage,
electricity, communication facilities, solid
waste management etc. It causes adverse Fig: 10
effects on people themselves and in the environment. With the increase of population,
there is increase in number of people living in the same house. Hence, there is lack of
toilets and problem of drainage in the house. Likewise, increase in crowd in the house
increases unhealthy environment and causes spreading of various diseases. Moreover,

GREEN Health, Population and Environment Education Book-10 35