A parliamentary panel that probed the prospects and effects of genetically modified (GM) food crops has found a nexus between the industry and political class pressuring scientists to hurriedly introduce these crops in India for reaping a commercial harvest.
The committee also felt there was a link between the suicides of farmers in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra and the failure of Bt cotton crops to provide the desired yields.
Deposing before the parliamentary committee, Dr PM Bhargava, the Supreme Court nominee on the government’s Genetically Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), said the government was reluctant to set up a lab of its own to conduct all the tests, currently done by the companies themselves, and there was also pressure to swiftly approve Bt brinjal and other crops.
Even Dr Arjula Reddy, chairman of the expert committee that approved Bt brinjal on October 14, 2009, now says he was under pressure from the industry and from a minister. “I am under pressure. I had calls from the industry, the GEAC and the minister,” Dr Bhargava quoted Reddy as telling him in a confidential conversation.
The chairman of the parliamentary committee Basudev Acharia, who tabled its report in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, refused to disclose the name of the minister. He didn’t even explain why Dr Reddy was not summoned for deposition.
Dr Bhargava, also a founder-director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, said top scientists Dr Raj Paroda and Dr Mashelka were reluctant to set up a lab where tests could have been done rather than relying on the company for doing tests. He said, “They (scientists) were under pressure not to set up a lab. Can you believe that a country like India with all technological advancements does not have a lab of its own to conduct tests?”
The committee also wondered how the regulatory bodies missed the 30% increase in toxic alkaloid content in Bt brinjal and approved it for environmental releases. Expressing lack of confidence in the regulatory mechanism, the panel said not only was there a conflict of interest in the GEAC, but it has also shown a complete lack of concern towards its responsibility. “Rather it conveys in unequivocal terms its strong inclination towards the benefit of industry. The committee, therefore, recommends the government to not leave such a crucial decision in the hands of GEAC, but come up with clear-cut policy in this regards without any further loss of time,” the report concludes.
The committee has asked the government to immediately bring in legislation to ensure biosafety in the light of modern biotechnology. Recommending emulation of the Norwegian law, which has incorporated safeguards to a large extent, the panel warns that the tearing hurry would lead the agriculture sector to meet the similar fate as that of communications, pharmaceuticals and mineral wealth, where the government’s benevolence has led a colossal loot and plunder.
The report said against an average Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 investment for cultivating traditional varieties of cotton per acre, the farmers in Vidharbna region of Maharashtra had to now invest Rs 48,000 to Rs 54,000 per acre for Bt cotton varieties. It has asked for a thorough probe to track the decision making involved in commercial release of Bt Cotton right from the initial stage.
