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The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has set up a high-level committee to probe claims by scientists of several government institutions that they have developed an indigenous variety of Bt Cotton called “Bikaneri Narma” (BN-Bt).
They have been asked to ascertain whether scientists from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB) and Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, did develop an indigenous Bt type or whether BN—Bt got mixed or “contaminated” with seeds that contained MON-531.
The probe team set up around a fortnight back is headed by S.K. Sopory, Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the ICAR Deputy Director General, Mr Swapan Kumar Datta, told PTI.
It has been asked to submit its report in three months, he said.
As per the allegations, this cotton seed is an unoriginal version of Bt cotton developed by US-based Monsanto in the early 1990s, named MON 531.
Commercial sale of BN-Bt was prohibited by the Government in 2009, Mr Datta said, adding that the ban continues.
Mr Datta said the UAS Dharwad has also been asked to investigate the matter.
When contacted, Mr K.R. Kranti, Director of the Central Institute for Cotton Research, said his institution would extend all cooperation to the investigation team.
Bt Cotton accounts for 90 per cent of the total acreage under this important commercial crop in the country. Maharashtra and Gujarat are the main growing regions of Bt cotton.
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