No Bt Brinjal in India after a Opposition in India, Government says No to Bt Brinjal

Central Government has refused for Bt Brinjal Cultivation in India after a huge opposition within and outside India. Environment and Forests minister Jairam Ramesh has announced that Govt would not allow the cultivation of Bt Brinjal, a genetically modified version of the common vegetable, till an “independent scientific study” satisfactorily establishes its safety.

“There is no over-riding urgency to introduce it… When the public sentiments have been negative, it is my duty to adopt a cautious, precautionary and principle-based approach,” Jairam Ramesh told a hurriedly-called press conference which was originally scheduled for tomorrow.

Jairam Ramesh had conducted public consultations in seven cities across the country to get the opinion from the public. And A number of state governments, including Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh, have publicly opposed the introduction of Bt Brinjal.

No Bt Brinjal in India after a Opposition in India, Government says No to Bt Brinjal

What is Bt Brinjal, which has become a hot topic in India.

1. Bt Brinjal, a genetically modified version of the common vegetable
2. Bt Brinjal is a trans-genic brinjal created by inserting a gene (Cry 1Ac) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into brinjal.

3. The insertion of the gene into the vegetable is said to give the brinjal plant resistance against insects like the brinjal fruit and shoot borer
4. Upon ingestion of the Bt toxin by the insect, there would be disruption of its digestive processes, ultimately resulting in its death.

Source: CNN-IBN

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