Farmers, experts oppose Biotech Bill

BANGALORE: The State Biodiversity Board as well as farmer representatives and intellectuals of biotechnology have opposed the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2011, on the ground that it would give unbridled powers to the Union government and take away the rights of the state governments.In a strongly-worded resolution passed unanimously in a seminar on Friday, the board felt that most of the provisions of the proposed Bill have the potential to trample the fundamental rights.“The proposed Bill seeks to override even the Right to Information Act. The authority concerned can refuse to provide details pertaining to bio-diversity and bio-technology on the ground that the information could be used for commercial exploitation. What is deplorable is that citizens are not permitted to approach the court of law if information is refused through RTI. Nothing can be as draconian as this Bill. Hence, we oppose this tooth and nail,” bio-diversity board Vice Chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisara told reporters here.According to Ashisara, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh - all three NDA ruled states - have opposed the Bill.“We will mount pressure on the Karnataka government to tell the Union government that the state is opposed to the bill and hence be withdrawn forthwith,” he added.Farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar, who spoke in the seminar, said the proposed BRAI - 2011 was against the panchayat raj system.