Green activist Vandana Shiva has moved the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of the government’s decision to import 10 lakh tonnes of wheat by July 2007. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan posted the matter for hearing on May 17, ahead of the closing date of tender on May 21 fixed by State Trading Corporation. The bids received would be valid till May 30. The case was originally expected to come up for hearing in August.
Shiva who runs Navdanya, a non-government organisation engaged in promoting genetic and output diversity in farming and rural ecosystem, has challenged the government’s decision, saying the policy will compromise India’s food security as wheat imported last year was of sub-standard quality. Her counsel Pinky Anand alleged that there was dilution in the safety standards.
 for import of the foodgrain. She also wanted multinational companies and private traders to be barred from direct procurement of the grain from farmers, as they tend to hoard the commodity resulting in artificial scarcity.
“They (MNCs) are paying higher amounts to procure wheat, hoarding it and then selling it at exorbitant prices,” Shiva added. Quoting newspaper reports, Shiva said there was no need for further imports as 53,000 tonnes of already contracted wheat was still lying unutilised at various ports.