CM writes to Centre on Bt brinjal
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has appealed to the Centre to defer the commercial release of Bt brinjal till the issue is thoroughly examined from all angles.
The CM said the Centre should take views of all the stakeholders and conduct research for its bio-safety before releasing it to the market.
Yeddyurappa, in his letter to Jairam Ramesh, minister for Environment and Forests, said farmers in Karnataka had been growing about 50 varieties of brinjal and many of them were local breeds. There was no need of the Bt brinjal, which has resistance to pests.
Further, the CM said the bio-safety of Bt brinjal was a matter of great concern. There was a need to look into its possible impact on soil, flora and fauna. Nutritionalists, human and animal health care professionals and environmentalists should conduct researches in this regard, he said.
