Countering Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s statement on introducing Bt brinjal in the market, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on January 21 said the Centre has every right to take the final decision when public safety is concerned. Ramesh was responding to Pawar’s statement yesterday that the expert committee’s decision on the introduction of Bt brinjal will be final and the Centre does not have any say in the issue.

Differing with Pawar, Ramesh said the “expert panel may well be a statuary body but when critical issues of human safety are involved, the government has every right and in fact, has basic responsibility to take the final decision based on the panel’s suggestions.”

In a letter to Pawar written today, Ramesh said he was holding public consultations across the country before taking a final decision in the matter “since Bt brinjal will be the first genetically modified food crop and …I am well aware of the concerns that have been raised on this issue.”

Ramesh also brought to the notice of Pawar his letters to Chief Ministers of six important brinjal cultivating states including West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Maharashtra. “In addition I have sought feedback from over 50 top scientists both in India and from abroad.”

Defending the ongoing public consultation processes, Ramesh said, “Mr. Pawar will agree that in a democracy like ours, we have to take decisions that have far-reaching consequences with the greatest degree of caution, with the greatest degree of transparency and after ensuring that all stakeholders have been heard to their satisfaction.”

Ramesh added that by January end he would windup all the public hearings and by February 20 he would be in a position to take a considered view on GEAC recommendations regarding Bt brinjal.

“I will then be sharing my final view with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well with you and the Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad,” the Minister added.

Amid public hearings being conducted by Ramesh, Pawar had said on the sidelines of a conference yesterday that “Govt. of India don’t have any opinion on it. The decisions of the expert committee on the issue are final. The Ministry does not have any say on the issue.”

The GEAC last year had given its nod for the commercial release of the Genetically-Modified brinjal based on the researches conducted by it.

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Miffed with the capital’s tardy preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, CGF President Michael Fennel has sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to put things in order.

With barely a year to go for the October 3-14 event, Fennell has shot a letter to the Organising Committee of Delhi Games, saying he has asked Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi to arrange next month a meeting with the Prime Minister.

“With only a year to run until the Games, I feel I must personally brief the Prime Minister of India on the lack of preparations and to seek his input in developing an appropriate recovery plan,” wrote a furious Fennell.

“As you know, I have asked the Chairman of the Organising Committee to facilitate such a meeting on my return to Delhi in early October for our General Assembly,” he said.

“I am looking forward to some urgent actions in order to bring about the successful celebration of the Games in 2010,” Fennell wrote.

Fennells’ fear was substantiated by a CGF Coordination Commission report which predicted partial failure of the Games

“Given it is 27 years since India hosted an international multi-sport event, why is there such a reluctance to recruit experience from overseas?” the report said.

The Commission said if CGF did not intervene, the Games was bound to see particla failure. “The Coordination Commission is of the view that Games’ failure in part is now likely should the CGF not intervene. It is reasonable to further conclude that the current situation poses a serious risk to the Commonwealth Games in 2010, the Commonwealth Games brand and the image of the CGF,” the report had said.

Fennell, in his letter, stated that reality was the Federation had consistently expressed serious concerns to the Organising Committee on preparations for the Games.

“The Government of India has committed significant resources towards the operational delivery of the Games (1,620 crores) and as I said at the meeting it would be irresponsible and negligent of the Federation not to share its concerns openly with the Government.”

The CGF chief also said he was “extremely worried” about the Organising Committee’s capability to deliver a successful Games, as it was promised.

“Our main concern relates to capacity of the Organising Committee to deliver operationally, as I said at the Board meeting preparations for the Games are significantly behind,” the letter said.

“The Commonwealth Games Federation is extremely worried about the Organising Committee’s ability to deliver the Games to any comparable standard to that of the last two editions of the Games in Manchester and Melbourne,” it added.

“Our concerns are such that unless there is significant change in the management culture and operation of the Organising Committee these Games will fail from an operational perspective,” it added.

“The procurement processes within the Committee are stagnant and lack of empowerment of functional area management is retarding progress. Report of our Coordination Commission highlights a range of areas that need addressing.

The only way to address matters going forward is to openly share information and concerns both amongst ourselves as Board Members and with our key stakeholders,” the letter said.