The Telangana government has decided to book criminal cases against those involving in sale, processing and storage of the illegal variety of cotton seed with the herbicide tolerant (HT) trait, also known as BG-III, in a bid to check its further spread in the State.
It is estimated to be cultivated in more than 20% of the total extent, mostly with the ignorance of farmers as the seed traders have allegedly been selling it as “better yielding and pest-resistant” variety than BG-II, particularly in the backdrop of pink bollworm attacking even the second generation of bollgard cotton.
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Unapproved variety
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The unapproved transgenic variety of cotton seed is found to be polluting the biodiversity of not only the cotton crop but feared to be having the potential to affect other crops too.
As the unapproved cotton variety is claimed to be herbicide tolerant, the farming community in the State is resorting to indiscriminate use of glyphosate, a herbicide, causing health hazards to humans and cattle, apart from affecting the yield of cotton.
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Strong move
“The decision to book cases against those involving in sale, storage and processing of the unapproved cotton seed under the provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) such as cheating and related offences has been taken to create fear among them,” sources in the Agriculture Department said.
Although the State Government has amended the Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act last year by including the offenders of spurious seed, pesticide and fertilizer, booking criminal cases is stated to be difficult under the law as such it requires proving them as “habitual offenders” to attract punishment under its provisions, the sources explained.
Not approved
As the herbicide tolerant cotton is not approved by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) for commercial cultivation in India, its sale, cultivation and seed production is also punishable offence under Seeds Act 1966, Seed Rule 1968, Seeds (Control) Order 1983 with regard to Environmental Protection Act 1986 and Environmental Protection Rules, 1989.
Surprise checks
The Agriculture Department has formed district-level squads to conduct surprise checks on seed traders and they are expected to commence the work after an orientation programme soon.
Meanwhile, Principal Secretary (Agriculture) C. Parthasarathi has written to District Collectors and District Agriculture Officers to act tough against those proliferating the unapproved variety of cotton seed contaminating the biodiversity of existing cotton varieties as also other crops.
Irreparable damage
“The damage to biological resources may be huge and irreparable and it may not be possible to remove the said unapproved trait. It has to be curbed to reduce further damage to biodiversity,”the Principal Secretary said in the communication.