Prashant Bhushan writes to Env Min over Bt Brinjal cultivation

Advocate Prashant Bhushan has urged the Ministry of Environment to destroy Bt brinjal, a genetically modified crop, planted in farms and prosecute those responsible behind its illegal cultivation.

In a letter to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, Bhushan alleged that the ministry's 2010 moratorium on the commercial planting of Bt brinjal was being flouted.

"l am constrained to say that we are looking at a collective failure of our regulatory bodies and connected institutions, with the final blame falling squarely on the apex regulator, the GEAC (Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee) in your ministry, the body solely responsible for all environmental releases of GMOs," he said in the letter.

"The illegal planting of Bt Brinjal demonstrates the vacuum that exists in the oversight of GMOs in lndia," Bhushan added.

He sought that the crop be uprooted and destroyed in farms and an exercise be undertaken for testing of seeds.

"Uproot and destroy planted Bt brinjal in farms and seedlings in nurseries. Undertake a scaled-up exercise of testing of seeds and plantings for which a well laid out and coordinated plan is required with members of civil society as part of a joint advisory and monitoring committee," the letter stated.

"Ascertain the supply chain -- from seed developers to intermediaries -- who are involved/what is the origin of the seed supply? Stiff penalties, including criminal prosecution, are required," it read.

The letter also gave the test report of a private lab in Ahmedabad which says brinjal samples collected from a farm in Haryana's Fatehabad have tested positive for genetically modified traits.

Recently, farm activists demanded immediate action against officials responsible for spreading seeds of Bt brinjal and its genetically modified (GM) variants in the country.

Bt brinjal farming was banned in India in 2010 after it was recognised as hazardous to health and environment.