Scientists here resent the move of the Union Government to merge the 105-year-old ICAR-Sugar Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI) based in Coimbatore with the Lucknow-based Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR).
The move is based on the recommendations of an expert committee headed by T. Ramasamy, former Secretary of the Science and Technology.
The committee recommended merger of 103 agricultural research centres to 60 across the nation. It had suggested one research centre for one crop instead of having multiple centres. Besides SBI, two other institutions to be closed or merged are National Research Centre for Banana in Tiruchirappalli and Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture in Chennai.
Researchers felt that it was a strong lobby of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh to gain control over the south-based institute. If both, the SBI and IISR, are merged the former should be headquarters, they say.
“We are not opposing the merger of the institute which has glorious record in sugarcane research in the world, but it should be made as headquarters instead of bringing it under the control of IISR to retain its name and fame of its seed brands beginning with ``Co'', said retired director of SBI P. Rakkiyappan.
Memorandum
The Agricultural Research Service Scientists’ Forum (ARSSF) in its memorandum to ICAR has opposed the merger proposal.
The ARSSF members feared that a decision in this regard may be taken at a meeting of the governing body of ICAR held on Wednesday. However, this was not part of the agenda.
On its part, the ARSSF has initiated the process to safeguard the interest of Tamil Nadu and its members plan to meet the Chief Minister and also the BJP leaders in Chennai soon. Meanwhile, MDMK leader Vaiko in a statement issued last Saturday condemned the move and said it was part of the hidden agenda of BJP government and urged the State Government to desist the merger plan.
