Bt-maize reignites Jairam vs Pawar tiff

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has turned down Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar's request to drop his opposition to field trials of genetically modified Bt maize.

Participating in a debate on environment in the Legislative Council, Kumar said that Pawar had called him to reconsider his resistance on the ground that stopping the field trials of Bt maize would demoralise scientists. "I told the agriculture minister that I have no objection to scientific experiments by scientists of the public-funded Indian Council of Agricultural Research. I am opposed to opening up our state for field trial by MNCs."

Notably, Bihar's stand has revived the policy tussle between Pawar and environment minister Jairam Ramesh on the introduction of genetically modified crops in India. This is the second time that they are facing off: the earlier round went to Ramesh whose opposition to the field trial of Bt brinjal prevailed against a front that comprised other ministers as well. In the latest edition, Ramesh seized upon Nitish's opposition to withdraw the permission for field trials, his promptness earning praise from the Bihar CM in the debate in the Bihar House started.

The environment ministry's Genetic Engineering Approval Committee gave the green light to field trials of Bt corn developed by Monsanto on December 24, last year in five locations for rabi 2011 in the states of Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It also gave the go ahead to the multinational seed company to conduct trials in nine locations in kharif 2011 in Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Reacting to his opposition, Ramesh instantly cancelled the permission to conduct trials in Bihar, over-ruling the GEAC. Ministry's rules do not provide the need to seek the approval of the state government, but Ramesh has ordered that states must be given a month to agree or disagree with GEAC's advice before the final decision is taken.