|
|
|
|
Patna,(BiharTimes): Following Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s request, Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh has asked the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to immediately withdraw its permission to Monsanto for field trials of Bt maize in Bihar. Bt brinjal was the first, and maize is the second food crop for which the GEAC has given permission for field trials in India. |
Nitish talked to Jairam over phone and told him that he is personally opposed to field trials of Bt maize in Bihar as he was not aware of the risks involved in it and wanted the GEAC to withdraw its permission.
Ramesh, in a letter to the GEAC chief on March 5, said Bihar chief minister’s phone call reinforces his belief that biotech regulation, particularly in the field of agriculture, cannot be a purely scientific enterprise.
Ramesh has also asked the GEAC to give a State government at least one month to agree or disagree on field trials for genetically-modified (GM) crops, given the fact that agriculture is a State subject. In fact, ideally, prior approval of the State concerned should be taken before allowing such trials.
It needs to be recalled that in December 2010 GEAC gave permission for field trials of BRL-II of Bt maize developed by Monsanto at five locations for rabi in 2011 Two of these locations are in Bihar and one each in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Besides nine of these locations are for kharif in 2011. Two of these locations are in Bihar and one each in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Maize is very important crop in Bihar and is grown in both rabi and kharif seasons. India accounts for about three per cent of world maize production and Bihar accounts for 10 per cent of country’s production.
Andhra Pradesh is the highest producer. It produces 17 per cent while Rajasthan 14 per cent and Madhya Pradesh 12 per cent of country’s crop.
comments...
|
|
