A street play at Tata Steel Family Initiatives Foundation in Dhatkidih on Thursday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Family planning emerged the top theme during World Population Day celebrations in the steel city on Thursday.

Various outfits organised a host of events to mark the occasion and spread awareness about impact of rising population on resources and quality of living.

Leading the campaign, Rotary Club of Jamshedpur West held an interactive session with 100 women hailing from Baccha Singh Basti and Balaram Basti, two slums along Marine Drive.

City-based gynaecologist Sunetra Gandhi apprised the women of the ill-effects of population explosion. Gandhi spoke about how a disproportionate rise in population strains the resources of a society, creating unemployment and bringing about degradation in overall quality of life. She went on to explain that overpopulation retards the growth and development of a country.

“Our objective was to make these women understand the advantages of family planning and take steps towards it,” said rotarian Alakananda Bakshi.

Tata Steel Family Initiatives Foundation organised a nukkad natak on its premises. District civil surgeon Jagat Bhushan Prasad inaugurated a family planning camp, where young couples were counselled about family planning, use of contraceptives and the minimum gap between pregnancies.

The Tata outfit also launched a unique campaign to spread awareness regarding the benefits of small family. Over the next month, two-three street play groups will perform in several urban and rural areas and apprise local communities of the benefits of family planning.

On the other hand, about 100 students of Graduate School College for Women took out a rally from their campus to mark the day.