Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore   

Much `concern' over farmers being sidelined at biotech. meet

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE April 14. On Monday, some people were indignant that farmers had been sidelined at Bio 2003. No effort had been made to learn from the experience of farmers who planted Bt cotton and discuss what should be the way ahead in the State, they said.

One learned gentleman insisted on telling the Minister of State for IT and Tourism, D.B. Inamdar, who was present at a press conference on the event, that it was a mistake to sideline the issue of genetically modified crops.

The minister said "it is too important an issue... it must be discussed separately". Offstage, he continued, "I am a farmer too... we will organise a separate meet to discuss Bt cotton."

Most people were not convinced.

At events such as large trade shows, the organisers always like to boast about the increases over the previous event. Common parameters that are held up as indicators of success are increased floor space and number of stalls.

The pre-event press conference on Bio 2003 was no different. The floor space has doubled as against last time, and there are about 30 more stalls this time. Perhaps, only the numbers are relevant, and not what the people in the stalls do in connection with the event. Did someone say, Helpage India has a stall at the event?

No homework

Increasingly, various interest groups depend on two sets of people to get their message across: PR people, whose job it is to put their clients in positive light; and journalists, who don't do their homework.

The `pre-inaugural press meet' of Bio 2003 was a classic example. "Why is so and so sponsor not present this time?" was one of the questions. As it turned out, the sponsor in question was not a sponsor last year either.

`Fibre'

As the day for Bio 2003 came closer, journalists who were likely to cover the event were among those who received copies of `Fibre', a "preview newsletter from Bangalore Bio 2003", as its slug said.

The latest issue is pleasant to look at, and the information in it is not bad either.

There is a little history lesson as well, which is well written, especially as it gives Rosalind Frankling her due in the events leading up to the famous discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. Perhaps the newsletter will be available for public circulation.

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• Much `concern' over farmers being sidelined at biotech. meet
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