NEW DELHI: A government constituted committee has submitted recommendations for short and long term measures to prevent illegal cultivation of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) cotton in the country, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.
Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma said in a written reply that there is no third kind of Bt cotton in the country.
He pointed out that there were reports on cultivation of unapproved HT cotton in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
"The Government had constituted a Field Inspection and Scientific Evaluation Committee (FISEC) in the Department of Biotechnology to assess the veracity of spread of unapproved HT cotton in the country," he said.
He was asked whether it is a fact that non-approved 3rd kind of Bt cotton is being cultivated in some parts of the country The minister said FISEC has conducted investigation on the availability and cultivation of illegal, unapproved HT variety in the cotton growing states, and submitted its report in this month.
Along with the report, it has also submitted recommendations and action points for short-term, long-term and immediate strategies and measures to be implemented by various ministries and departments of central and state governments and relevant agencies to prevent illegal cultivation of HT cotton, he added.