New Delhi: Bangalore-based Foundation for
Biotechnology Awareness and Education (FBAE) today said that
it will submit a memorandum to the government, seeking the
removal of a moratorium imposed by the environment ministry on
commercialisation of the BT Brinjal crop.
"We are going to submit a memorandum to the Prime
Minister, Minister of Agriculture and the other departments
concerned, requesting them to remove the moratorium imposed
on the use of BT Brinjal," FBAE Consultant-Biotechnology &
Medicinal Plants C Kameswara Rao told reporters.
Earlier, the environment ministry had imposed the
moratorium on the commercial release of Bt Brinjal following
concerns raised by a section of the society, specifically
scientists and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The environment minister has also put together a list of
various BT crops, whose applications for commercial
cultivation are pending with the government’s Genetic
Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC). They include
cauliflower, tomato, potato, corn, okra, cabbage and rice.
The foundation has also requested the government to
accept the recommendation of GEAC, which favoured the release
of BT Brinjal for commercial use without further delay.
"The government's decision of putting a moratorium would
seriously affect research and development activities in the
country's biotechnology sector," Rao said.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, July 28, 2010, 19:11