You Are Here:
Greenpeace releases biohazard map of India; calls for ban on genetic engineering of food crops.
“The Australian research clearly demonstrates that genetic engineering is a dangerous technology. Unexpected and unpredicted effects can occur with far reaching implications to the environment, animal and human health (3). Our wheat, pigeon pea and chick pea is exposed to research with similar genes (4) and the Ministry of Health must prevail upon the Ministry of Science and Technology to abandon this and other such irresponsible experiments”, said Divya Raghunandan, Greenpeace GE Campaigner.
The presumption of safety with foreign genes in our food is dangerous. Instead of taking a precautionary approach, the scale and scope of research on GMOs in the country suggests that the government will soon allow commercial cultivation of these dangerous foods. If urgent action is not taken, it is feared that within two years the government will allow at least one of these GE crops to be sold in the markets.
“Lack of transparency is preventing effective public scrutiny. Public health is at risk and the government must make available all data from all institutions, including private ones on health and safety impacts of research on GMOs for public scrutiny by independent scientists”, Ms. Raghunandan added.
The 2004 ICMR report states that “various uncertainties exist regarding the safety of these foods, because there is limited scientific evidence regarding their toxicity or health risks, the methodology used for assessing the risk is not robust enough or sensitive enough, and the molecular and genetic effects of the technology are unpredictable in nature.”(5).
Greenpeace demands:
A ban on all field trials of GE food crops in the country
That all data on ongoing field trials of GE food be made public
That the New Biotech Policy be reoriented to focus on biosafety concerns and risks to health caused by GE food.
View the GE Hotspots map
Notes to Editor
(1) 18 public sector, 3 private sector, 3 foundations and 2 international institutions are involved in genetic engineering research in food crops.
(2) Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia whose experiments with GE peas with alpha-amyalase inhibitor genes when tested on mice resulted in an unpredicted inflammation of the lungs and increased serum antibody levels. Prescott, V.E.Campbell, P.M.Moore, A, Mattes, J, Rothernberg, M.E.Foster, P.S.Higgins, T,J.V. & Hogan, S.P.2005. Transgenic expression of bean alpha-amylase inhibitor in peas results in altered structure and immunogenicity. Journal of Agricultural And Food Chemistry 53: 9023 –9030 (published November 16,2005)
(3) The GE peas contained a gene from a bean to make the peas resistant to damage by the pea weevil. The GE pea was considered safe because the protein is normally present in beans. However small changes in the gene protein structure were found to cause allergenic reactions in mice. Eating the GE peas also made then more sensitive to other food allergies.
(4) Delhi University South Campus, IARI, ICRISAT in Patancheru, and Assam Agricultural University in Jorhat.
(5) Regulatory Regimen for genetically modified foods: The Way Ahead ICMR Report, April 2004.
Vision, video, photos, report information
Divya Raghunandan, Genetic Engineering Campaigner, Greenpeace India Tel: +91 98455 35406 Email: divya.raghunandan@in.greenpeace.org Vivek Sharma, Media Officer, Greenpeace India Tel: +91 9343788424 Email: vivek.sharma@in.greenpeace.org
