Pof. Dr. Ajit Sikand 1771 days ago

It is hard to follow the pride being taken, India emerging as the largest cotton growing country of the world. The fall in cotton production in the US and China are the wiser corrective measures against ecological destruction and water scarcity. The competition to grow more cotton in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan has led to dehydration of Amu Darya/Oxus River and thus drastically killing Aral See. The secretary of Government of India should be aware of the fact that the cotton production is directly related to scanty rain and hence ground water. Indian cotton farmers have moved on to gene-manipulated seeds, requiring more water than the traditional seeds, after-effects are clearly foreseeable – a catastrophe is on the march. Innovative products need to be developed and not more cotton. The cotton area in India has increased 2000/2014 from 8.576 to 12.750 Mio.Ha, whereas the production rose from 278 to 579 KG/Ha. all at the cost of ground water and pesticides in the potable drinking water