COIMBATORE: Even as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like the Federation for Sustainable Development has vehemently opposed the research on Bt Brinjal, the project director of Chandrayaan, Mylswamy Annadurai, lauded the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) for successfully developing four varieties of Bt Brinjal in its farm here.
Delivering the 30th convocation address at TNAU here on Monday, Mylswamy said that as Bt brinjal did not require more pesticide application, it was considered an eco-friendly technology, which offer clean and healthy fruits to the consumers and also protects the environment.
Pointing out that the four varieties of Bt brinjal were yet to be released by the TNAU, he said that it had been tested for agronomic performance and bio-safety. He said based on the data generated on Bt brinjal, the Central government’s Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) had already recommended the Bt brinjal for commercial cultivation. Now it was awaiting approval for commercial release from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, he said.
Advising the farmers to opt for Bt brinjal cultivation to earn profits, Mylswamy Annadurai recalled that when the Bt cotton was introduced for commercial cultivation after assessing the crop for bio-safety in 2002, several NGOs opposed this technology and farmers hesitated to adopt it.
However, after the farmers realised the benefits of the technology, there was a quantum jump in the cultivation of Bt cotton, he said. He said at present about 80 per cent of the cotton cultivated in the country was Bt cotton. Mylswamy called upon the agricultural graduates to rise up to the occasion with commitment to protect the livelihood of farmers besides providing quality food to the huge population of the country.
Chancellor and Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala presented degree certificates to 691 students in person and 399 in absentia and administered a pledge to them.
Veera Pandi S Arumugam, Pro-Chancellor and State Agricultural Minister, announced the institution of endowments.
