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Indian agricultural universities give green signal to Bt Brinjal
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Monday, 26 October, 2009, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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Contrary to apprehensions of voluntary organisations over the ill effects of Bt technology for brinjals, a distinguished professor with the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) said that genetically modified brinjal (Bt brinjal) is not harmful and added that it’s a safe technology.
Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, additional director, research, (agriculture) in PAU, said the technology would produce vegetables with much less insecticide level, whereas Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), which was involved in research for genetically modified (GM) food the past six years, has also commented that it is safe to consume Bt brinjal.
Bt brinjal has been tested repeatedly since 2002 and an approval to grow seeds is still many steps away from the dinner plate. Dr Gosal said, “When insecticide is put on plants, it kills insects and is also harmful for the consumers, but this technology will kill the insects but is not harmful to the humans. There is fear in the mind of people about the harmful effects of the technology but the vegetables grown through this technology will have less quantity of insecticides.”
According to media reports, India allowed commercial cultivation of Bt cotton in 2002, sparking protests from activists who contended that genetically altered crops are a health hazard, spoil soil texture and above all harm the environment.
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