This week eminent molecular biologist Dr. Pushpa Bhargava, Greenpeace and the representatives of the consumer coordination council, came together in Delhi to protest against the proposed field trials of GM brinjal (aubergine/eggplant).
1.Greenpeace calls for immediate halt to GM brinjal field trials
2.Protest against GM brinjal field trials
3.Demand to halt GM brinjal trials
EXCERPT: Eminent molecular biologist Pushpa Bhargava, at a press conference, stressed the need for banning field trials of GE brinjal. He said given the appalling bio-safety risk assessment protocols in place today, there was absolutely no case for large-scale field trials. The veracity of these risk assessments was also not authentic, as these were carried out by the same companies that were marketing the crop. (item 2)
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1.Press release: Contamination: 1. Containment: 0.
Greenpeace calls for immediate halt to GE Brinjal field trials
New Delhi, 8th September 2006 – Greenpeace India, several consumer groups and a leading scientist today joined forces to prevent large-scale field trials of genetically-engineered (GE) Brinjal from being carried out in the country. The groups were meeting under a banner that announced the latest score from the battle between giant agri-businesses and the anti-GE movement: "Contamination-1 / Containment-0"
The groups met together in the wake of revelations that agrochemical company Bayer's field trials of GE rice had contaminated American rice exports, inviting immediate import bans from Japan and the EU. Almost simultaneously, more research uncovered – and independently verified – that illegal GE rice from field trials in China has contaminated food products in France, Germany and the UK.
"What's happened in Europe over the past three days is just the First Information Report of an ongoing crime," said Divya Raghunandan, Greenpeace India GE Campaigner. "The manipulated gene found to be tainting the banned rice from China is the same one that's being introduced into our brinjal. India is a centre of diversity for this crop, and cultivates over 5 lakh hectares of it annually. If these tests go ahead, they're basically contamination on an unimaginable scale. Let's dispense with the language of control and containment. This is plain and simple commercialisation of a crop by illegal means," she added.
With the approval of GE Brinjal for large-scale field trials pending before the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) and an opening of the market to GE imports, contamination of Indian food crops is inevitable. As was witnessed in the case of GE cotton, soon after being introduced, the new seeds spread all over the country with the government unable to control or even monitor their spread.
Eminent molecular biologist Dr. Pushpa Bhargava stressed the burning need for banning further field trials of GE Brinjal. He said "given the apalling biosafety risk assessment protocols in place today, there is absolutely no case for large-scale field trials of GE Brinjal. The veracity of these these risk assessments is also extremely suspect, since these are carried out by the same companies who are marketing the crop. The only third party to have done a risk assessment is the INTOX laboratory, and that's a non-accredited one."
Indians consume 8 lakh tonnes of brinjal every year. With almost no awareness among consumers of this untested technology and no means to identify the genetically-contaminated food in the market, representatives of Consumer Co-ordination Council were also united in their criticism of the GEAC. "That the GEAC has no representation from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is an out-and-out travesty. We need a strong voice for the interest of consumers, to stop the agriculture and commerce ministries from turning consumers into guinea pigs just to satisfy business interests," admonished Dr. Arvind Shenoy of CGSI.
Bejon Mishra of VOICE added "the government should prohibit any entry of GE food into the market unless sufficient legislation and scientific evidence is in place to protect consumers from any harm. Also a labelling regime should be enforced, in order that consumers get a choice to not eat food they don't want to eat."
Greenpeace and its allies demand that field trials of GE Brinjal be discontinued until (a) scientific data is made available for analysis by an independent panel of toxicologists and physicians, (b) a representative of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is invited for consultation by the GEAC, (c) a reliable guarantee is given that no spread of GE plants or any parts thereof shall occur, (d) locations of field trials are placed in the public domain, and (e) labelling laws are firmly in place.
For more information, contact:
Divya Raghunandan, Greenpeace India GE Campaigner: +91-98455-35406 Gene Hashmi, Greenpeace India Communications: + 91-98456-10773
For related reports and further details on our GE campaign, visit: www.greenpeace.org/India/ge-scandal
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2.Protest against GE brinjal field trials
Special Correspondent
The Hindu, 9 September 2006 http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/09/stories/2006090907921300.htm
"Tests can cause contamination"
NEW DELHI: Greenpeace India and several consumer groups on Friday sought to prevent large-scale field trials of genetically engineered (GE) brinjal.
The bid comes in the wake of revelations that agrochemical company Bayer's field trials of GE rice had contaminated American rice exports, inviting immediate import bans from Japan and the European Union. Also, it was found that illegal GE rice from field trials in China had contaminated food products in France, Germany and the U.K.
"What has happened in Europe over the past three days is just the first information report," Divya Raghunandan, Greenpeace India campaigner, told reporters here.
Manipulated gene
She said the manipulated gene, found to be tainting the banned rice from China, was the same one that was sought to introduced into brinjal in India.
Ms. Raghunandan said India was a centre of diversity for this crop and it was cultivated over 5 lakh hectares annually. If these tests were carried out, they could cause contamination on an unimaginable scale. The approval of GE brinjal for large-scale field trials was pending before the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC)
Eminent molecular biologist Pushpa Bhargava, at a press conference, stressed the need for banning field trials of GE brinjal. He said given the appalling bio-safety risk assessment protocols in place today, there was absolutely no case for large-scale field trials. The veracity of these risk assessments was also not authentic, as these were carried out by the same companies that were marketing the crop.
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3.Demand to halt GE brinjal trials
The Hindu, September 9 2006 http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/015200609090340.htm
New Delhi, Sept. 9 (PTI): In the wake of reports of illegal genetically modified rice from field trials in China contaminating food products in France, Germany and the UK, Greenpeace-India, along with some consumer bodies, yesterday demanded an immediate halt to similar brinjal trials in India.
"What has happened in Europe over the past three days is just the First Information Report of an ongoing crime. The manipulated gene found to be tainting the banned rice in China is the same which is being introduced into our brinjal," GP-Indian campaigner Divya Raghuraman said, adding that since brinjal is a primary food crop, it will at once spread in the market once it gets approval from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC).
Representing the Consumers Guidance Society of India (CGSI), Arvind Shenoy demanded that there should be a comprehensive levelling of all GM food items.
"The multinationals developing the GM crops cannot fool the consumers. Moreover, the onus must be fully on the importer if the crops breach bio-safety norms and lead to health problems," Shenoy said.
Scientist and Vice Chairman of National Knowledge Commission, P M Bhargava said that even though alternatives to Bt crops are available which can be developed indigenously, our country is still taking help from multinationals.
"The MNCs involved in the process have only one objective... to take control over the entire agro-business of the country," he alleged.
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