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Ban unsafe GM Food, Dr. Ramadoss: Health Experts
Greenpeace report says staple food crops and medicinal plants can now be health hazards thanks to Genetic Modification
November 06, 2008
By adopting a stand of silence and negligence, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, the Union Minister for Health and Family welfare may just be endangering the health of citizens, not only of Tamil Nadu but also of the entire country, warned health experts here today.
“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
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
Vision, video, photos, report information
Jai Krishna – Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India, +91 98455 91992 jaikrishna.r@greenpeace.org Stella Paul – Communications Officer, Greenpeace India, +91 98450 68125 stella.paul@in.greenpeace.org
