Population Growth and the Environmental Issues of Bihar, India

In complex ways, Bihar stands out in India as a distinctive case because of its demographic intensity, which intersects with ecological vulnerability. Because of the pressure of the economy on agriculture, a growing population and a less industrial base, the stress on land, water, and forest resources is facing an immense load. This study examines how demographic expansion influences environmental conditions in Bihar and how environmental degradation, in turn, shapes patterns of livelihood insecurity and regional imbalance. Based on the reports of census, economic surveys, environmental assessments, the landholding patterns, extraction of groundwater, forest reserves, and urbanisation analysis shows changes in these areas. Only population increase alone is not responsible, but the evidences say that it has broader structural constraints, such as less technological awareness, poverty, and no control over environmental governance. Rural areas are facing many issues like shrinking landholdings, aggressive cultivation, which reduces soil resilience, whereas in urban areas lack of infrastructure planning has contributed to pollution growth and results in the failure of waste management. The paper argues that sustainable development in Bihar cannot rely solely on population control measures. Instead, a balanced strategy combining demographic stabilisation, resource-efficient agricultural practices, environmental regulation, and community-level awareness is essential. The population–environment relationship in Bihar must therefore be understood as mutually reinforcing rather than unidirectional.