New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) Hoping to persuade Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh against allowing the production of genetically modified (GM) Bt Brinjal in India, climate NGO Greenpeace has launched an online campaign, 'World's Biggest Baingan Bhartha' and are collecting people's signatures against the government's plan.
Demanding that the government reverse its decision, farmers, scientists and NGOs have staged angry demonstrations and disrupted public hearings organised by the environment ministry on the issue in the past few days.
"Making the 'World's Biggest Baingan Bhartha' is an attempt to provide an opportunity to thousands of other people who want to protect our brinjal from contamination. It's an attempt to continue persuading Jairam Ramesh to say 'no' to Bt Brinjal," Jai Krishna of Greenpeace India told IANS.
The online campaign was launched Jan 28 with an aim to collect 10,000 brinjals (signatures). More than 19,000 people have already signed the petition.
"But in only 48 hours, we smashed our goal, so now we're aiming to collect 20,000 brinjals and will make the 'Bhartha' Feb 18 in Delhi. The venue is likely to be Dilli Haat and celebrity chef Tarla Dalal has expressed interest in being part of this creative campaign," he said.
"We will be buying the exact number of brinjals pledged by people to make the 'World's Biggest Baingan Bhartha'. The Limca Book of Records has also expressed interest in it," Jai Krishna added.
"The Baingan Bhartha will be provided to underprivileged people who are with the night shelters run by NGOs and the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi). It will also be distributed to orphanages and churches who work with the homeless and others," he explained.
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), the country's biotech regulator, had last year given its nod for the commercial release of Bt Brinjal.
But Jairam Ramesh decided to conduct public hearings after a member of the committee alleged all necessary tests were not carried out before taking the decision. The public consultations are being held in Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.
"Six consultations have ended with an emphatic 'No' from people and the last one is scheduled in Bangalore February 6th. We have the largest resource of brinjals - about 2,500 varieties. The impact of one Bt Brinjal to the thousands of native brinjals is a serious threat to agro bio diversity and the environment," Jai Krishna said.
"The health studies done on Bt Brinjal are inadequate and several scientists from various quarters, states have come forward in the six cities so far to make this clear. Majority of the farmers who have come for the consultations have also voted against it," he added.