Others who made strong public statements against GM food
included Dr. Mira Shiva, Initiative for Health and Equity &
Society and Mr.Bejon Misra, Consumer Voice.
"Studies from across the globe have shown that GM food has
caused a series of health problems including adverse effects on
growth, impaired immune system, and organ damage that can be
carried over generations" stated Dr. Mira Shiva.
Alarmed by the growing, uncontrolled and yet highly glamorized
role of genetic engineering in India, the report brings to light
various facts not been publicized earlier in spite of the advanced
level of field testing and commercialization of GM food crops. The
report has been compiled by the combined effort of Health
professionals as well as civil society organizations highlights the
pertinent danger that inadequately tested GM could pose to consumer
health, agriculture, environment, and even revenues earned from
food exports.
According to the report, GE food research has increased by
almost 250% since 2005. After brinjal, which is in the last stage
of approvals without its safety independently verified, there are
25 kinds of rice varieties and 23 kinds of tomato and many kinds of
groundnut, pigeon pea, potato, mustard, sugarcane, cowpea and soy
in the line of approvals. Even trees and traditional Ayurvedic
medicinal herbs have not been spared and are being subject to
genetic engineering.
Talking about the uncontrolled proliferation of GM crops and the
fact that GM crops cannot easily be distinguished from non-GM
crops, Bejon Misra stated that the consumer's choice would be
restricted. "What people need is nutritive and safe food, and a
knowledge of what is being forced down their throats so that
consumers can make an informed decision" he stated.
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) which is the
regulatory authority for GM food has permitted the field trials
across the country. "One of the most glaring regulatory gaps is the
system in which bio-safety of GM crops is given the least
importance. The startling fact is that even after two years of
field trials, none of the regulatory bodies have any conclusive
evidence on the bio-safety of GM rice, okra and mustard." stated
Mira Shiva.
The report launch follows the apparent green signal from the
GEAC about safety of Bt Brinjal, though there have been no long
term studies done to indicate the safety of the first GM food crop
of India. "At the international level, GM food has been either
banned or strict restrictions implemented in the European Union,
Japan, South Korea and many countries in Africa. Yet India
continues to live in the fantasy that GM is the panacea for many of
our food and agriculture problems" said Jai Krishna, campaigner
from Greenpeace, that has been fighting the GM explosion in India
since 2001.
"We have been turned into lab rats for GM Food and the Health
Minister has been a mute spectator as the Right to Health of every
citizen slips from the purview of the health ministry and moves
into the hands of trans-national seed corporations" Jai Krishna
added
The report is part of a larger national campaign to reach out to
all Indian citizens for them to have their say in the food safety
debate. As part of the campaign, citizens across the country have
been writing to the Union Health Minister Dr.Anbumani Ramadoss to
step in and stop unsafe GM food immediately.
Upholding the Indian citizen's right to choose, Greenpeace
demands that:
• No open air release of GMOs should happen unless there are
independent long term health and environmental impact studies
conducted and published for an independent public scrutiny
• Health Ministry and the newly constituted FSSA should 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
Ankur Ganguly – Communications Manager, Greenpeace India, +91-98453 73818