Centre's directive on cotton ignored

By Our Special Correspondent

GANDHINAGAR, NOV.13. The Gujarat Government has refused to take any action on the Central Government's directive to destroy the genetic Bt cotton produced in the state till the question of compensation to the affected farmers was decided.

The Agriculture Minister, Mr. Purshottam Rupala, told newsmen here today that the State Government was awaiting the ``modified instruction'' from the Centre on the issue before taking any action. He said the two earlier instructions received from the Centre and not acted upon had not specified who would be responsible for compensating the loss to the farmers and to what extent.

Asked what progress was made in the last fortnight since the revised instruction to recover the Bt cotton from the market and destroy the lints was received, Mr. Rupala curtly replied, ``nothing.'' Neither the State Government nor the Centre had exchanged any notes since then, he said. Pointing out that Bt cotton was grown on over 10,000 acres of land in the State, he claimed that about 50 per cent of the Bt cotton production, estimated at about 400 kilogrammes per acre, had already reached the market and there was no way to separate them.

He denied that the farmers were at fault for growing Bt cotton. Hinting that the private company which sold the Bt cotton seeds to the farmers should be the first to be punished, Mr. Rupala said the concerned Act prohibits any company from producing and marketing the seeds not approved by the Central Government and not the farmers for sowing the seeds.

Mr. Rupala said the State Government had drawn the Centre's attention in these respects and was awaiting its reply before it would take a decision on the standing Bt cotton crops which was believed to be posing a threat to the environment.

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