Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today
rebutted Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar over introduction of Bt
brinjal on his stand that clearance by the Genetic Engineering
Approval Committee was final and Centre did not have any say in that.
Ramesh is understood to have asserted that the
Centre has every right to take the final decision on introduction of
the country’s first genetically modified food since the issue related
to public safety. The commercialisation of Bt brinjal, though cleared
by the expert panel last year, triggered a controversy and several
states opposed its introduction during the national public
consultations initiated by Ramesh. On Wednesday, Pawar said the GEAC’s
decision on introduction of Bt brinjal would be final and Centre did
not have any say on the issue.
The Environment Minister said, “The expert panel
may well be a statuary body, but when a critical issue like human
safety is involved, government has every right and to take the final
decision based on suggestions.”
