RAMDEV BABA CRIES AGAINST bT BRINJAL, BUT GOVT MAY ALLOW IT

Countering Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s statement on introducing Bt brinjal in the market, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said the Centre has every right to take the final decision when public safety is concerned.

Mr. Ramesh was responding to Mr. Pawar’s statement on Wednesday that the expert committee’s (Genetically Engineering Approval Committee) decision on the introduction of Bt brinjal will be final and the Centre does not have any say in the issue.

Differing with Mr. Pawar, the Environment Minister said the “expert panel may well be a statuary body but when critical issues of human safety are involved, the government has every right and in fact, has basic responsibility to take the final decision based on the panel’s suggestions.”

In a letter to Mr. Pawar written on Thursday, Mr. Ramesh said he was holding public consultations across the country before taking a final decision in the matter “since Bt brinjal will be the first genetically modified food crop and ...I am well aware of the concerns that have been raised on this issue.”

Mr. Ramesh also brought to the notice of Mr. Pawar his letters to chief ministers of six important brinjal cultivating states including West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Maharashtra. “In addition I have sought feedback from over 50 top scientists both in India and from abroad,” he said.