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Don‘t allow GM varieties into India: Uncage
BHUBANESWAR: As the entire nation awaits the decision of Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on the issue of Bt brinjal, the United Coalition Against Genetic Engineering (Uncage), Orissa, today urged him to reject the entry of genetically modified organism’s (GMO) into India.
The Minister can grab the opportunity to tackle the problem of unsustainable and hazardous technologies and chart out a sustainable path of development in the country’s food and farming systems by opposing GMO varieties, members of the coalition said in a statement adding Ramesh would be well in his authority to invoke the precautionary principle as required under the Cartagena Protocol.
Cartagena Protocol is an international treaty governing movement of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology tools from one country to another.
Uncage defended the Minister’s views and right to hold consultations and take up a democratic decisionmaking process, which was sought to be de-legitimised by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
Ramesh had concluded here that this is not just a technical matter but has socio-political implications and the regulators fell seriously short of their mandate. He even hinted at transforming the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee into an `assessment’ panel.
Bt brinjal is unnecessary as has been articulated by many farmers and scientists at the local consultation.
Participants have pointed out that there are other ecological, safer and affordable ways of pest management and that fruit and shoot borer (FSB) resistant cultivars were also available.
They have pointed out various pending and unresolved issues around the GMOs awaiting approval in India.
They pondered over animal health and soil impacts, crop performance, seed pricing and unviable agro-economics, pest and disease in the crop, human health impacts, increased burden on organic farming and contradictory policies of the Centre.
People representing Indian Systems of Medicine also brought out the potential impacts of Bt brinjal on their treatment systems and medicines.
The Orissa Government also took a clear stand against Bt brinjal. Likewise Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttarakhand had spoken against Bt brinjal.
