BENGALURU: Amid opposition by farmers’ unions, the State government is likely to decide on a private firm’s application, seeking permission to conduct confined field trials of Bt Cotton and maize in the state, by November-end.
The forest, ecology and environment department has been getting over a dozen comments and objections every day after the department invited views from people on Rallis India Limited’s request for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to conduct “confined field trials” of Bt Cotton and maize for two years -- 2021-22 and 2022-23.
“People can send in comments/objections till the end of this month. After looking at all comments and objections, a report will be presented before a committee headed by the chief secretary, which will take a decision by the end of next month,” sources in the government told TNIE on Tuesday. If NOC is given to the firm, it has to get permission from the Centre to take up field trials.
As per information put out by the department on its website, Agricultural Sciences Universities in Dharwad and Raichur have agreed in principle for field trials on one acre each, by following guidelines issued by the Department of Biotechnology.
Meanwhile, farmers’ associations are strongly opposing any such move. The Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kuruburu Shantakumar urged the government not to permit field trials.