The animated public debate (including the ministerial spat) on permitting Bt Brinjal has prompted me for this posting.
While its important to get a view of the major stakeholders and people with thinking hats !!. There is one Minister who is going around doin a great consultative meet….for my humble self all I can do is posting in my employers intranet to entice reactions from fellow employees and get an official measured version !!...
Readers would be aware that GEAC has given its approval for environmental release of Bt Brinjal, but about 7 state governments have opposed this. Is Bt Brinjal’s biosafety questionable?? Is it Bt per se a question ????….can we paint all results of genetic engineering as very unpredictable, questionable and with unintended hazardous consequence!! I fear, perhaps not ….while some have gone overboard blaming all that is got to do with the Bacillus …..Bt has been a near success story in Gujarat. The state has outshined the rest of the state with its hefty agri growth (close to double digits) partly driven by Bt Cotton. The Monsanto ghost ….has been kept aside with ingenuous farmers of Gujarat making their own Bt seeds for cotton which is cheaper and farmer friendly….. For me, the issue is about Bt (Food crops) ?? whether its is baigan today or bhindi tomorrow or makki day after !! ….time to care about health and keenly participate in a healthy debate….not the acrimonious, commercial thoughts only, debate.
Cheers
Suran
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