Bt-brinjal moratorium: PM to meet Pawar, Ramesh, Chavan

With his ministerial colleagues and experts expressing reservation on moratorium on Bt-brinjal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of concerned ministers on the issue this week.

Singh has convened a meeting of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.

"The meeting is expected to take place this week," a PMO official said.

The meeting follows concerns raised by Pawar and Chavan on the moratorium of Bt-brinjal announced by Ramesh after public consultations.

The agriculture ministry feels there is no alternative to transgenic crops.

Chavan had maintained that the Bt-brinjal, banned by the environment ministry, was "safe for all".

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Pawar contended that the moratorium could prove to be a setback to research in the crucial area and pitched for 'clarity' on the issue.

He wanted clarity on the authority responsible for granting final clearance to genetically modified crops and noted that the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) had approved the commercial cultivation of Bt-brinjal. Chavan also had a similar opinion.

Reports of the Prime Minister stepping in taking a final decision on GM crops was criticised by eco-activists.

"Pawar is trying to pressurise the Prime Minister to undo the moratorium on Bt-brinjal," claimed Vandana Shiva, who runs an NGO Navdanya.