Press release - October 14, 2009
NEW DELHI, India — GEAC considered the approval of Bt Brinjal, India's first genetically modified food crop for public consumption.
Jai Krishna
Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner
+91 98455 91992
Syed Mehaboob
Communications Manager
+91 97313 01983
- The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) today
considered the approval of Bt Brinjal at their 97th meeting.
Internal sources say that GEAC approved the environmental release
of Bt Brinjal although there were three voices of dissent within
the committee, including that of Supreme Court observer and noted
molecular biologist Dr P.M Bhargava.
- It is further believed that committee's recommendations have
been sent for a final government approval for commercial release.
If approved it will be the first genetically modified food crop to
be approved in India and also the first genetically modified
vegetable to be approved for commercial cultivation anywhere in the
world.
- The first independent scientific commentary of
its bio-safety in January 2009, and increasing public opinion
against GE foods had forced GEAC to review the data provided by
Mahyco-Monsanto, the company.
- Bt Brinjal approval process has been mired in controversy due
to the complete lack of transparency and vested interest of experts
in the committee reviewing the study.
- It took a 30 month long legal battle to bring out the
bio-safety studies submitted by Mahyco to GEAC for the approval of
its Bt Brinjal. Later in May, a 16 member subcommittee was set up
by the GEAC to look into the concerns raised. It was pointed out by
many CSO's including Greenpeace that there is a serious conflict of
interest in the sub-committee.
- In June 2009, Mr. Jairam Ramesh, the Minister for Environment
and Forests, under whose ministry sits GEAC, stated in public
forums that he does not support GE foods and there is no great
urgency for Bt Brinjal. Civil Society organizations and thousands
of consumers have been emailing and faxing Mr. Ramesh on the eve of
the meeting, to alert him of the impending GEAC meeting and
reminding him of his promise.
- If Bt Brinjal approval happens it would open the floodgates to
all the 56 crops including 40 other food crops, which are presently
undergoing various stages of approval. This in the absence of a
labeling law leaves consumers with no choice.
- There has been growing concern from consumers and in the last
one month, around 13 major processed food companies in India have
stated their positions to not use GE ingredients in their products.
Over 41,000 consumers have so far written to
companies demanding companies to become GE free.
- Greenpeace demands no approval of GE food crops be given as it
is a threat to the health of the citizens and the environment.
Quotes and Related Information
1. "It is shocking to see that GEAC has mindlessly gone ahead
and approved Bt Brinjal even when informed scientists and citizens
of this country are raising serious concerns on the nature of the
safety studies. GEAC by doing a charade with their regulatory
gimmicks is putting the health and environment of our country in
danger" said Jai Krishna. "We believe that the decision on Bt
brinjal is a decision on food safety and food security of the
country and hence should not be made by a beaurocratic body known
to take sides with the industry. Now since the final decision is
with the government, we hope that our government will stand by the
people and not on the side of Seed companies who have a vested
interest."
2. In January 2009, Prof.
Gilles-Eric Séralini of Committee for Independent Research and
Information on Genetic Engineering (CRIIGEN), France, in his
independent scientific appraisal of Mahyco-Monsanto's Bt Brinjal
feeding studies said "Bt Brinjal may present a serious risk for
human and animal health and the release should be forbidden."
3. "The expert committee members like Dr. Mathura Rai, director
of the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, and Dr. Dilip Kumar
of the Central Institute of Fisheries Education are either in
partnership agreements with the Mahyco to develop Bt Brinjal or
have done the safety tests for it. How can anyone trust a decision
from a committee which seems to have an interest in to ensure Bt
Brinjal gets the requisite approvals" expressed Jai Krishna,
Campaigner, Greenpeace he further said "More importantly, GEAC has
not addressed the fundamental question - does India need GE
crops?".
4. SafeFoodNow.org
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