Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Three months after Environment Minister Jairam Rameshs controversial decision putting the commercial release of genetically modified brinjal on indefinite hold,the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee on Wednesday decided to consult an independent set of experts on how best to address the concerns raised by people opposing Bt brinjal.
The GEAC was divided on whether fresh tests needed to be conducted on the safety of Bt brinjal. The committee,whose decision to allow the cultivation of Bt brinjal was overturned by Ramesh,decided to prepare a background document in response to the concerns raised by various individuals and groups.
This document would be circulated to an independent group of experts,which is still to be decided,for consultation,sources said. The expert group will suggest measures to address all the apprehensions regarding the cultivation of Bt brinjal and these suggestions will be taken into account while taking a final decision.
The meeting witnessed angry exchanges between members over the issue of conducting fresh tests and also the composition of the expert scientific group. Many scientists were learnt to be extremely apprehensive over GEAC chairman M S Farooquis suggestion that the expert group be decided by Ramesh.
While many members told The Indian Express that there was no decision regarding conduct of fresh tests,P M Bharghav,special invitee at the GEAC,said the expert group would decide on tests to be done and by who.
Bharghav also said he and a few other scientists,as suggested by Ramesh,would be on the expert group though some other GEAC members contradicted that and said the composition would be restricted to people who were not part of GEAC or Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation,the two regulatory bodies currently in existence.
The commercial release of Bt brinjal had become a major controversy in February following Rameshs decision to put it on indefinite freeze despite it being cleared by GEAC,the apex body empowered to take such decisions,late last year. Rameshs decision had been criticised by his Cabinet colleagues and the Prime Minister had to intervene. Meanwhile,the GEAC approved confined field trials of transgenic tomato,watermelon,papaya,rice,sugarcane,shorghum,corn,and potato along with confined field trials for Bt brinjal.
The GEAC is learnt to have granted permission to some seed companies for export of Bt-cotton seeds to Pakistan.
