No question of lifting moratorium on Bt Brinjal: Ramesh
September 27th, 2010 - 10:39 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Rejecting the report of the country’s top six academies recommending limited release of Bt Brinjal, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Monday said it did not reflect the views of the larger scientific community.
He also said that none of the states were in favour of lifting the moratorium on genetically modified crops.
The environment ministry in March had asked the Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Academy of Engineering, Indian National Science Academy, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Academy of Medical Sciences and National Academy of Sciences (India) to submit a report on GM crops.
The academies submitted the report to the ministry last week.
An advocacy group ‘Coalition for GM Free India’ Saturday alleged that the report of the academies was plagiarised from an article ‘Bt Brinjal: A Pioneering Push’ in Biotech News - a publication of the Department of Biotechnology written by Anand Kumar, a supporter of Bt brinjal.
“My idea of referring the GM crops to academics was to get a view of the larger scientific community but not the view of one Anand Kumar which I knew even before the moratorium was put on Bt Brinjal,” said Ramesh.
“Since February I have not heard from even one state wanting to revoke moratorium on Bt Brinjal. Even the most aggressive anti-NGO state in India, Gujarat, did not want Bt Brinjal,” he said.
The ministry had imposed moratorium on release of Bt brinjal on Feb 9.
- Recommendations on Bt Brinjal remain unchanged: Academies - Sep 28, 2010
- 'Ban on Bt brinjal hurting Indian scientists' - Jan 26, 2011
- No GM crop trials without states' consent: Jairam Ramesh - Mar 09, 2011
- Plagiarism plagues India's genetically modified crops: Experts - Sep 30, 2010
- Bt.Brinjal decision not influenced by NGOs, asserts Jairam (Lead) - Feb 26, 2012
- Decision on Bt. Brinjal not influenced by NGOs: Jairam (Second Lead) - Feb 26, 2012
- Bt Brinjal moratorium to stay: Ramesh - Feb 24, 2010
- India says 'no' to Bt Brinjal, pending scientific tests (Roundup) - Feb 09, 2010
- Monsanto to continue research on GM crops in India - Feb 10, 2010
- India is sharply divided over introduction of Bt Brinjal - Feb 09, 2010
- India says no to Bt Brinjal, pending tests (Second Lead) - Feb 09, 2010
- PM upholds moratorium on Bt Brinjal - Feb 24, 2010
- Bt Brinjal will be single largest disaster, says scientist - Feb 01, 2010
- Decision on Bt. Brinjal not influenced by NGOs: Jairam - Feb 25, 2012
- Canadian Indian scientist pats Ramesh on Bt Brinjal, smells conspiracy - Feb 15, 2010
Tags: academy of medical sciences, advocacy group, agricultural sciences, anand kumar, biotech news, brinjal, department of biotechnology, environment minister, free india, gm crops, gujarat, indian academy of sciences, indian national science academy, jairam ramesh, moratorium, national academy of engineering, national academy of sciences, national science academy, ngo, sciences national