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Bt Brinjal 
Tue Feb 09, 2010 at 12:53:00 PM PST
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Great news! India put a hold on Bt eggplant (which they call brinjal) due to safety concerns. This one has been on my radar for about a year, ever since I met an Indian woman who was quite upset about the impending destruction of the genetics of India's 4000 varieties of eggplant. The decision sounds like it was made due to public outcry, as government scientists gave Bt brinjal the okay in 2009.
"Public sentiment is negative. It is my duty to adopt a cautious, precautionary, principle-based approach," Mr Ramesh said.
He said the moratorium on growing BT brinjal - as the variety of aubergine is known in India - would remain in place until tests were carried out "to the satisfaction of both the public and professionals".
The minister said "independent scientific studies" were needed to establish "the safety of the product from the point of view of its long-term impact on human health and environment".
Imagine that. Using the precautionary principle and obtaining independent studies. Hooray!
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