MOROTARIUM DECLARED ON INTRODUCTION OF B.T BRINJAL

Posted Tue, 02/09/2010 - 18:50 by alappuzha
The Center has decided against making BT Brinjal the country's first commercially sold genetically-modified crop. Just yet. It announced a moratorium on the genetically-modified brinjal on Tuesday, saying more studies were needed on the impact of Bt Brinjal on health and environment, before it was released commercially.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh announced on Tuesday that in view of the negative public sentiment, opposition from states and lack of consensus within scientific community, it was his 'duty to adopt a cautious approach".
Ramesh's decision came after a series of public consultations in seven cities across the country, that often turned acrimonious. India grows over 2000 varieties of brinjal, over 500,000 hectares of land for almost 4000 years.
In October 2009, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), which was set up to study the viability of GM food crops, gave BT Brinjal the go ahead.

But activists, farmers and scientists protested and the Environment Ministry decided to hold nationwide public consultations on the issue before giving Bt Brinjal the final nod.

WE CONGRATS AND SALUTES ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS GREAT PEOPLES MOVEMENT AGAINST G.M SEEDS......

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