Karnataka to ban Bt Brinjal

Karnataka Horticulture Minister Umesh Katti today said that the state government would enforce ban on the commercial cultivation of Bt Brinjal in the state. “We will ban commercial cultivation of Bt Brinjal. We have already written to the Centre seeking its deferment,” Horticulture Minister Umesh Katti said.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has already said that the Centre would announce its decision on commercial production of the genetically modified crop on February 10. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has already conveyed to the Centre that its commercial release should be deferred till the issue was thoroughly examined.

It should take into account the views of all stakeholders and conduct a long-term research for the Bt crop’s bio-safety and its consequent contributions to food security and farmers’ well-being, Yeddyurappa had said. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat yesterday argued strongly against Bt Brinjal and sought its categorical rejection. He termed the crop as “videshi” (foreign) and sought to equate it with the problem of infiltration of people from across the border. In Karnataka, brinjal is grown on about 15,000 hectares with annual production of about 360,000 tonnes.