The Ministry of Environment and Forests will tread carefully while deciding whether or not to allow commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal, first genetically modified food crop in India.
Even as Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh begins nationwide consultations on the contentious issue from January 13, the opinions so far appear sharply divided.
“Whether it is the scientists, researchers, farmers or the civil society groups, the opinion is totally divided,” he told The Hindu on Tuesday.
“Consumed daily”
“Brinjal is an item of daily consumption here and has cultural connotations too unlike in other countries where it is just an occasional culinary delight,” he said.
Admitting that research so far did not take daily consumption of brinjal into account, he said one had to be a little more careful about the entire issue.
The Minister was hopeful of pronouncing his decision before February-end.
“I will submit my report to the government confining myself to Bt brinjal and not on genetically-modified foods as such,” he said.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the country should pursue the leads offered by biotechnology to increase crop productivity.
“Legitimate” questions of safety must be given “full weightage” with appropriate regulatory control strictly based on a scientific basis, he pointed out.
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) had approved commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal in October last year. But the government said it would take the final decision on the panel’s recommendations after comprehensive consultations following concerns over the lack of bio-safety data of such crops and strong opposition from civil society groups and non-governmental organisations.
