Press release - March 1, 2010
The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India [BRAI] bill is to be tabled in the ongoing Budget session of the parliament.
Responding to the content of the draft bill Jai Krishna, Sustainable Agriculture campaigner, Greenpeace said “It’s outrageous that the government is trying to lower the bar for bio-safety tests of GM food crops through the proposed regulatory system.”
"This draft bill further exposes Science and Technology minister Prithviraj Chavan direct links with the GM industry. Instead of working closely with the environment and health ministers to strengthen bio-safety regulation and safeguard human health respectively, Chavan is trying to change the rules of the game to facilitate the back door entry of Bt Brinjal and GM Rice."
The Science and Technology minister Prithviraj Chavan in an official response to former Union health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss in July 2009, was caught red handed using unsubstantiated GM industry data to support his promotion of GM crops.
The Chavan Biotech bill will ensure that all state governments lose their right to say no to GM crops and the MoEF is reduced to be a mere spectator.
"Greenpeace is concerned that the Chavan Biotech Bill will restrict the decision making power to just 4 technocrats in BRAI, who will be authorized even to overrule the citizen's right to Information under the RTI act as the BRAI will decide what matters are of public importance and what information will be shared." said Jai Krishna.
It is surprising that the Prime Minister continues to have confidence in Minister Chavan's ability to conduct a democratic, fair and scientific debate about GM food in a democracy.
The PM must tell Chavan that that mandate for the new law should be protection of bio-safety & health rather than promotion of GM crops. The bill in its current form must be withdrawn and a transparent, democratic process must be initiated in formulating a bio-safety protection authority.