Hyderabad: The TS government on Wednesday told the Hyderabad High Court that companies like Monsanto and their Indian associates like Mahyco Monsanto have been exploiting farmers by selling their BT Cotton seeds at exorbitant prices.
The government moved an appeal challenging an order passed by a single judge staying a GO issued by it, fixing Rs 50 as royalty per packet of BT cotton seeds. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt was hearing the appeal.
The GO was issued on May 11, 2015 and it was stayed on May 21. The state government’s plea sought to vacate the interim stay. C.S. Vaidyanathan, senior counsel from the Supreme Court, appearing for TS, argued that it was the responsibility of the government to protect the interests of the farmers, who are on the verge of suicide due to heavy input costs, by controlling the monopoly of the company in fixing the selling price of the BT Cotton seeds.
He said efforts to rein in such unscrupulous market players were unduly thwarted by the stay order. Mr Vaidyanathan told the court that Monsanto was taking only Rs 23 as royalty per packet of BT cotton seeds while its Indian partner Mahyco, along with several seed manufacturers with whom it entered into agreements, were collecting Rs 1,250 per pack and urged the HC to vacate the stay.
Abhishek Singhvi, senior counsel of the Supreme Court, appearing for Monsanto, contended that the government has no power to intervene with the issue of royalty, though it can intervene with regard to sale price.
Stating that the GO was stayed three months ago, Mr Singhvi wondered what the government was doing in the last three months. He said Monsanto’s royalty was not more than Rs 100 per pack and not Rs 1,000 or more as alleged. Adjourning the case to December 23, the bench directed both parties to file written submissions.
No bail for cattle thief, associate
Justice Raja Elango of the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday refused bail to Nawab, a notorious cattle thief, and one of his associates. As per the prosecution, Nawab took to stealing cattle as the income from selling beef was not enough to fulfil his dream of owning a house.
He formed three gangs and struck at several places in Mahbubnagar and surrounding districts, selling the stolen cattle, and even the carcasses of the cattle to several companies. He had given Rs 5 lakh as advance to purchase house and paid Rs 7.5 lakh to buy a vehicle for the gangs to transport the stolen cattle.
D. Ramireddy, additional PP, told the court that Nawab, along with one of his associates, were caught in Mahbubnagar and police found that he had stolen 187 cattle and there were 17 cases pending against him in various police stations.
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