BT cotton gene: Maha seeks CBI probe

ALL FLUFF During June-September period, the govt had tested 4,631 pesticide samples across the state

Maharashtra government has sought CBI probe into the presence of banned herbicide tolerant gene in five varieties of BT cotton seeds, a statement from the Chief Minister's office has said.

“After the tragic incident of pesticide poisoning in Yavatmal district, a detailed study was done by Nagpur based Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) and the report is submitted to the state government. As mentioned in this report Herbicide tolerant genes are found in the BT Cotton seeds of 5 branded companies and it is not permissible under the provisions of Environment Pro- tection Act 1986,” a statement issued by the CMO here on Thursday said.

CICR's six teams comprising 24 scientists including the acting director of the institute V N Waghmare had visited most parts of Yavatmal district for the study. The report was submitted to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the special investigation team (SIT) that is probing the farmers' deaths due to insecticide in Yavatmal district on Wednesday.

“An FIR has been registered against those five companies in Nagpur,” said the CMO statement.

“It is also found that such type of seeds are being produced in many other states also. Hence, the government of Maharashtra has sent a request to Government of India for a detailed CBI inquiry into this,” the statement added.

Anti-genetic engineering activist Vandana Shiva, upon visiting Yavatmal a few days back, had blamed inter- national seed maker companies for the pesticide deaths arguing that the market for the HT variety is shrinking in Brazil, US and Europe and India is being eyed as a market to compensate.

More than 20 farmers had lost lives in Yavatmal district after spraying mixture of multiple pesticides to control pests on the Cotton crop. At least 800 farmers had to be hospitalised for various ailments including temporary loss of vision.

The Maharashtra government has decided not to give licences to Bt seeds and pesticides produced in other states and sold in the state under different brand names.

Selling Bt seeds and pesticides, that are produced in other state, under different brand names is called comarketing. This kind of marketing makes it difficult to take any legal action against such companies.

The decision came in the wake of pesticide-related deaths of farm workers in Vidarbha last month.

The government has also decided to blacklist and withdraw the licence of the companies whose Bt seeds and pesticides are not approved, the state agriculture ministry said in a release.

During Jun-Sep, the state had tested 4,631 pesticide samples in Thane, Nashik, Pune, Aurangabad, Latur, Amravati and Nagpur, of which 64 samples have been found unapproved, the release said.

The state will also conduct quality control checks on seeds and pesticides at the state level, instead of the district level. The state has given permission to 111 companies to produce Bt cotton seeds. Till June end, the state had given new licences to 967 pesticide products.