"It is shocking to know that the Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University (TNAU) leads the country in this unsafe and destructive
GM research" said Jai Krishna, campaigner from Greenpeace, at the
press conference releasing the Genetic Gamble Report on the GM food
explosion and its health impacts. "Considering that it is Dr.
Ramadoss's home state, he should be taking more responsibility for
his own constituency, which has become a hotspot for unsafe
Genetically Modified (GM) food research" he added.
According to the report, TNAU has the maximum number of private
partnerships by any public research institute in genetically
engineering brinjal, rice and papaya. Companies like Monsanto and
institutes like Rockefeller are funding these efforts in TNAU
without any regard to human, cattle and soil health. TNAU has been
conducting Bt Brinjal field trials for Monsanto-Mahyco for the past
1 year.
Last February, farmers belonging to the Tamizhaga Velan Kappu
Kuzhu protested against these GM field trials being conducted by
the university and declared the university to be "owned by
Monsanto".
Speaking at the conference, leading traditional medicinal
practitioners, Indian medicinal drug industry representatives,
consumer organizations, and Greenpeace expressed concerns at the
mindless, rampant genetic engineering of Indian agriculture and its
impacts on food, health, trade and society today.
GE food research has increased by almost 250% since 2005.
Despite its safety not independently verified, Bt brinjal is in the
last stage of its approvals. Additionally, today in India, there
are 25 GM rice varieties, 23 in tomato and many more in groundnut,
pigeon pea, potato, mustard, sugarcane, cowpea and soy, under
research.
"The Right to Health of every citizen is slipping into the hands
of trans-national seed corporations. We have been turned into lab
rats in the GM Food Experiment!" added Jai Krishna.
GM Siddha and Ayurveda
Among the other findings of the report, four medicinal plants -
widely used in the ancient medicinal tradition of Siddha and
Ayurveda - Brahmi, Jivanti, Ashwagandha and Nilavembu (Creat) are
also being genetically engineered and some are about to be released
in the environment on the pretext of open-air field trials.
"It is an annihilation of a culture and tradition of more than
2000 years" exclaimed Dr. Sivaraman, member, National Siddha
Pharmacopoeia Committee worried about the trend of this dangerous
genetic engineering which has moved from cash crops (cotton) to
food crops (rice) to medicinal plants like Nilavembu.
All preparations under siddha utilise the whole plant, or parts
of several plants rather than components of plants like alkaloids
or phytosteroids. Dr.C.N.Deivanayagam, Chairman of the Scientific
Advisory Committee, National Institute of Siddha, said, "Genetic
engineering of such a plant might introduce side effects or toxic
effects unheard of in the history of the medicine system. With GM
herbs the ancient medicinal tradition of Siddha which has been the
source of accessible natural cure for millions of people will be
irreversibly lost. A genetically engineered plant can neither
qualify as a food nor as a medicine" he stated.
Dr. Ramalingam, President of IMPCOPS (Indian Medical
Practitioner's Cooperative Pharmacy and Stores Limited) felt that,
with genetic modification, the quality and action of the herb would
be changed irreversibly and would cause chaos in new formulations
and drug approvals. "A situation like that would lead to huge
economic losses in the development of herbal medicine and cures.
The Honourable Health minister has been promoting AYUSH for
development of traditional Indian Medicine but he must also address
the greatest threat to this very same Indian heritage, which is GM
technology", he opined.
Talking about the uncontrolled proliferation of GM crops and the
fact that they cannot be easily distinguished from non-GM crops,
Mr. Duraisingham from FEDCOT (Federation of Consumer Organisations
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry) stated that consumer choice would be
completely killed. "What people need is safe food and a right to
choose what they want to eat", he said.
Mr. Vellaiyan, President of the Tamil Nadu Traders Union and Dr.
Dharini Krishan, Nutrition Expert from the Eco Science Research
Foundation were also present during the event and shared their
concerns on the dangers of GM crops.
IAASTD and GM
GM crops remain a big controversy. One of the most comprehensive
global reports on agricultural technology, the International
Assessment for Agricultural Technology and Science for Development
[IAASTD] by UN and World Bank released this year acknowledges that
genetically engineered crops are highly controversial and do not
address the key problems of climate change, biodiversity loss,
hunger and poverty. Globally, GM food has been banned or restricted
in the EU, Japan, South Korea and many countries in Africa.
None of the crops that are being researched in Tamil Nadu,
including the ones by TNAU have been tested safe. Yet rice, brinjal
and ladies' finger are already in the field. "Genetic Engineering
of food crops is a potential health bomb ticking away in the heart
of Tamil Nadu!" exclaimed Jai Krishna.
The Greenpeace report is part of a larger national campaign to
reach out to all Indians so they can have their say in the
food-safety debate, by writing to Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss to step in
and stop unsafe GM food immediately.
Upholding the Indian citizens' right to choose, Greenpeace
demands:
• Ban on all open air releases of GMOs, as they have not been
proven safe either for human health or for the environment
• Withdrawal, with immediate effect of all permissions given
on genetic engineering on medicinal herbs recognized by the
traditional systems of medicine of India
• The Health Ministry and the newly constituted FSSA take up
the responsibility for bio-safety approvals of GM crops
For further information, contact
Jai Krishna – Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India, +91 98455 91992
Stella Paul – Communications Officer, Greenpeace India, +91 98450 68125
Notes to Editor
1. The Genetic Gamble report can be downloaded at
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/genetic-gamble-safe-food-the
2. Map of India denoting the GM food hot spots in the country can be downloaded here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/gm-food-hotspots
3. IAASTD is a unique collaboration initiated by World Bank and United Nations. The final report was compiled by over 900 participants including 400 of the world’s leading agricultural scientists, selected by all participating governments, companies and NGOs, The global synthesis report can be accessed at www.agassessment.org