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Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010
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Research on GM crops may slow down

Sharath S. Srivatsa

‘Our scientists are feeling a bit low about the decision’
UAS among institutions involved in Bt brinjal project

BANGALORE: Transgenic research on food crops currently under way at the University of Agriculture Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, is likely to slow down following the announcement by Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday putting on hold the commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal for the time being

Currently, pigeon pea, tomato and groundnut are in various stages of transgenic research in the university. “There is no point in continuing the research until a clear policy on genetically modified food crops is announced by the Union Government,” a top scientist in the UAS told The Hindu. Rather, the scientist pointed out, the university will concentrate on other areas of biotechnology that are non-controversial.

In Karnataka, apart from the UAS, Dharwad, transgenic research is being conducted on cotton, groundnut and maize in the UAS, Bangalore, and on tomato, chilli, brinjal and banana in Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR), Bangalore.

“It is a temporary halt, which can be revived later if we continue on a lower scale now,” the scientist said. “Our scientists are feeling a bit low about the decision. But we have to take it in our stride,” he said.

The UAS, Dharwad, is among the institutions involved in the Bt brinjal project that cost about Rs. 50 lakh over a period of four to five years.

“We (scientists) are disappointed at the outcome. However, we will continue with our research,” said C. Aswath, Head of the Biotechnology Division at the IIHR where genetically modified food crops are being developed.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Horticulture Minister Umesh Katti said, “It is a good decision and we welcome it. Farmers should not be burdened with any form of genetically modified food technology.”

Member of the State Organic Farming Mission Vivek Cariappa said that though the decision was laudable, it did not give any timeframe. “We do not know what the Ministry is looking for. The decision is not clear and is very ambiguous.” Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Samruddha, a member of GM Free India, said, “The Government should ban all experiments on GM food crops in India.”

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