Stones thrown at minority institutions

MANGALORE: The Canara Organisation for Development and Peace (CODP) at Nanthoor, the Noorani and Noor-ul-Islam mosques, an orphanage, a house and a shop adjoining the mosques in Kumpala were damaged in stone-throwing by suspected Hindutva activists early on Sunday.
At the CODP, which is the social service organisation of the Mangalore Catholic Diocese, the attackers threw stones and damaged a stained glass with an image of Mary as well as windowpanes of the building. The incident came to light at daybreak.
Around 2 a.m., a string of Muslim institutions were targeted at Kumpala. The attackers are suspected to have been travelling on motorcycles. They first threw stones at the Noorani mosque, then moved on to a neighbouring cellphone shop and damaged it. They then damaged a concrete fence of a house next door before throwing stones at the adjoining Noor-Ul-Islam mosque and the orphanage run by it.(Source: THE HINDU, FEB 01,2010)

Plan to expand Salem airport

SALEM: Demands for the upgradation of landing aids, expansion of surface area and infrastructure and the introduction of cargo handling facilities at the Salem airport have gained momentum.
After 16 years of hibernation, the airport has become active with Kingfisher Airlines operating a flight between Chennai and Salem from November 15, 2009.
But facilities at the airport remain inadequate. The 6,000-feet runway that can handle smaller aircraft such as ATRs, which Kingfisher is operating now, needs to be expanded. The installation of sophisticated computerised systems for operational functions is also a need.
Highly placed sources told The Hindu that at present the airport was depending on an outdated beacon-type navigational system. Flights could not land at Salem in two instances owing to foggy conditions. As fly-by-wire systems now rule the sky, the installation of computerised navigational systems such as instrument landing systems has become imperative. (Source:THE HINDU,Feb 04,2010)

BT BRINJAL

As social activists, environmental researchers and a section of the agricultural scientists point out, it is for the first time that a genetically modified vegetable is being permitted to go through the field trials without studying the problems and consequences of introducing a vegetable carrying an alien genetic material. For the current scientific literature on the effect of GM (genetically modified) food on human health is not sure and clear about the nature and extent of the effect exerted by the genetically engineered food on the human well being.
Everything is going as planned and Bt.brinjal is expected to hit the market in a year’s time. But then what gives an ominous tone to the introduction of Bt.brinjal is the recent scientific study in Australia, which says that consumption of GM food could be one of the contributing factors to the increasing incidence of infertility.
In Europe, where there is a strong public opinion against the GM food, US agrochemical giants have not been able to make much headway in promoting their genetically engineered food products. For instance, in Switzerland, the moratorium on introducing genetically engineered food was extended on public demand. In Italy and Austria, government-funded studies have gone to show adverse impact of growing and consuming GM food.
Scientists at the Hyderabad-based Centre for Sustainable Agriculture wonder why there are no independent studies aimed at evaluating the impact of GM food from a variety of angles or an effort at labeling GM food products in India. Not labeling the products would imply that consumers will be left with no choice in so far as picking the food products is concerned.
Significantly, the research and field studies for the development of Bt.brinjal is done in Bangalore and Dharwad in Karnataka. Meanwhile, reports appearing in a section of the media point out that Maharastra Hybrid Seed Company(Mahyco), which is the Indian marketing arm for the US agrochemical and biotechnology giant Monsanto, has already received approval for the seed production of Bt.brinjal. However, the claim that Bt.brinjal would help end poverty is being questioned by experts familiar with the GM crops. Experience with Bt.cotton has already gone to show that with a heavy input cost including the purchase of seeds every sowing season, the farmer stands to gain little
The controversy over granting approval to Bt brinjal is set to deepen. Questions are being asked about the composition and functioning of the 16 member expert committee that granted approval to Bt brinjal.