GM crops are one of the most controversial technologies in agriculture – there is growing scientific evidence on its adverse impacts on health, biodiversity, farm livelihoods etc. A glimpse of the early warnings from scientific studies related to adverse impacts of GMOs which require a precautionary principle to be adopted with this technology is available in a compilation that can be accessed from: www.indiagminfo.org/?p=657.

The technology involves the transfer of genes from one organism to the other, a process which is imprecise and consequences unpredictable. Added to this is also the corporate control of seeds, the most important input in agriculture, through this technology. All this along with the fact that it is a living technology the products of which (GMOs) once out in the environment are uncontrollable and irreversible, has made it a risky technology opposed across the world and shunned by majority of countries.

Field trials and contamination of our food and seed supply chain

Field trials constitute a deliberate environmental release of unknown, untested and presumably unsafe organisms that are new in Nature. GMOs released into the environment in the garb of field trials pose various risks including contamination of wild gene pool, contamination of other crops, undetected entry into the food chain and jeopardizing trade security. In India, time and again, it has also been established that field trials have happened and are happening in violation of the meagre biosafety norms laid down. Institutional apathy and incapability of the regulatory system compounds the risks.

We oppose such risky open air trials of GMOs, whether it is being conducted by MNCs or public sector agencies – a poison is a poison, whoever serves it to us. Moreover, it is completely unacceptable for public sector organisations, funded by public money, to take up such trials on behalf of corporations like Monsanto. Our NARS (National Agricultural Research System)’s universities and their research stations are repositories of India’s germplasm wealth. This is a generous gift from our farmers to other farmers and the nation. All of this is being jeopardized through irresponsible open-air trials of GMOs.

Reports on GM contamination scandals, including the Ministry of Agriculture’s Sopory Committee’s, has shown that such contamination could happen inside a university either accidentally or intentionally, either biologically or through admixtures.

Credible bodies like a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture and a Supreme Court-appointed Technical Expert Committee of independent scientists have strongly recommended an immediate suspension of all open air field trials of GMOs in the country.

Demand to stop GM Field trials in Maharashtra

Maharashtra unfortunately has been made into a hotspot of risky GM experiments. Recently with Gujarat also joining other states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala in denying permissions for field trials, Maharashtra has become the only state where such field trials are happening. The Maharashtra government has no evidence of safety that it has shown the public, that other state governments do not have, that allows it to take this approach when these other state governments are rejecting such trials. According to available information, Monsanto’s Herbicide tolerant and insect resistant (HT Bt) corn as well as HT corn trials are happening in the state at present in MPKV Rahuri and VNMKV Parbhani. Media reports have already shown serious violations at these trials of whatever little norms that exist.

We, the undersigned, demand that the Maharashtra government do not permit any open air field trials of GMOs since they are a threat to our food, farming and environment. We demand that the ongoing trials be destroyed immediately.

Sd/-:

1. Y A Kawade, MIT, Aurangabad

2. Vinita Mansata, Earthcare Books

3. Vikram Bokey, Maharashtra Organic Farming Federation

4. Dr Vikas Amte, Anandwan

5. Vijay Jawandhia, Shetkari Sanghatana

6.  Vibha Gupta, Magan Sangrahalaya

7. Vasudha Sardar, Sendriya Setu

8. Vanita Adhao, Mahila Vikas Parishad

9. Vasant Futane, Nagpur Beejotsav Samiti

10. Tanmay Joshi, Coalition for GM-Free Maharashtra

11. Dr Suhas Kolhekar, Botanist & Molecular Biologist, Convenor-National Alliance for People’s Movements, Maharashtra

12. Shripad Dharmadhikary, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra

13. Shreesh Ponkshe, Small Farmers Group

14. Subhash Lomte, National Convenor, National Campaign Committee for Rural Workers

15. Shamika Mone, Organic Farming Association of India

16. Sarika Saswade, Sahyog Pariwar

17. Saurabh Raut, Koradwahu Gat

18. Dr Satish Gogulwar, Amhi Amchya Arogya Saathi

19. Sarang Pande, Lokapanchayat

20. Ravindra R P, Dharamitra

21. Dr Ramesh B Thakre, Geneticist, Bharat Krishak Samaj

22. Rajubhau Tale, Sashwat Sheti Kruti Parishad

23. Rajesh Krishnan, Coalition for a GM-Free India

24. Ravi Badri, Ekta Parishad

25. Prithvi Ghorpade, Organic Farmers’ Study Group

26. Prathamesh Patil, Editor in Chief, Sumbaraan Magzine.

27. Prashant Sawant, Honey For You

28. Pandurang Shitole, Gram Parivartan

29. Nitin Mate, Maharashtra Yuva Manch

30. Nikhil Sheth, Back to the Land Unconference, Pune

31. Neeraj Jain, Lokayat

32. Namrata Devikar, Editor in Chief, The Bunk Magazine

33. Narendra Joshi, Shetkari Mitra Kruti Gat

34. Nand Kishor Gandhi, Satpuda Organic Farmers’ Group

35. Maharudra Dake, Academy of Political and Social Studies

36. Madhukar Ghumble, Kisan Mitra

37. Kiran Gulrajani, CoEvolve

38. Kavitha Kuruganti, Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture

39. Karuna Futane, Gramseva Mandal, Wardha

40. Kalpanatai Salunke, Pani Panchayat

41. K J Joy, SOPPECOM

42. Jayashree Rao, Gram Pari

43. Jaiwant Mathkar, President, Sewagram Ashram Pratisthan

44. Datta Patil, YUVA Rural

45. Chinmay Futane, Sanvad

46. Bharat Mansata, Van Vadi

47. Banda Tatya Karadkar, Warakari Sampraday

48. B G Kolse Patil, Retd. High Court Judge, Lokshasan

49. Ashwin Paranjape, Gorus Organic Farming Association

50. Ashok Bang, Chetana Vikas

51. Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh

52. Anitha Taheer, Arundel Farm

53. Anant Bhoyar, Vidarbha Organic Farmers’ Study Group

54. Ajit Abhyankar, CPI (M), Maharashtra

55. Alok Tripathi, Biotechnologist, Director, Academia para la Educación Profesional

1. Walter Mendoza, Pune

2. Vitthal Deshmukh, Pune

3. Vipul Shah, Baramati

4. Tejashri Kamble, Korad Wahu Group, Pune

5. Swati Kamble, Pune

6. Swapnil Rishikant Shete, Film-maker, Mumbai

7. Dr. Sushil  Tukaram Bari, Dnyandeep Academy

8. Sunanda U Joshi, Pune

9. Suma Josson, Film-maker, Mumbai

10. Suhas Paranjape, Senior Fellow, SOPPECOM

11. Sugandha Upasani, Pune

12. Sudha Rajput, Pune

13. Subroto Guin, Pune

14. Shashi Dawre, Pune

15. Seema Kulkarni, Senior Fellow, SOPPECOM

16. Santosh Tungare, Pune

17. Samiksha Farakate, Kankavli, Konkan

18. Sachin Patil, Korad Wahu Gat, Nandurbar

19. Rujuta Nalavade, Korad Wahu Gat, Pune

20. Ritesh Gandhi, Pune

21. Rishi Ganguly, Ecological Farming Group, Mumbai

22. Rohit Patil, Korad Wahu Gat, Dhule

23. Rina Kamath, Organic Farmer, Mumbai

24. Rahul Goswami (formerly with National Agriculture Innovation Programme, GoI, 2009-13)

25. Pawan K Shriwastav, Independent film-maker from Crowd Funding (Naya Pata)

26. Preetee Oswal, Pune

27. Pratibha Kamble, Pune

28. Pranay Kamble, General Secratary Youth Congress, Pune city

29. Pradeep Kamble, Pune

30. Prabhakar Dhage, Executive Editor at Daily Pudhari

31. Poonam Pate, Pune

32. Poonam Barathe, Pune

33. Pooja Shelar, Pune

34. Pallavi Chavan, Korad Wahu Gat

35. Nishant Morhule, Korad Wahu Gat

36. Nishant Kamble, Pune

37. Nikhil Kamble, Pune

38. Neeraja Pathak, Pune

39. Nanda Khare, Korad Wahu Gat

40. Mukesh Varma, Mumbai

41. Mrunalini Pol, Pune

42. Madhavi Kolte, Pune

43. Madhav Pandit, MOFF, Pune

44. Mahesh Shinde, Director, Dnyandeep academy Pune

45. Lakshmi Devi Nair, Pune

46. Lalit Kamble, Maharashtra Arey  Dairy, Pune

47. Kshitija Dhavle, Pune

48. Kiran Hadpe, Pune

49. Kshama Padalkar, Film Maker, FTII Pune.

50. Kavita Phadatere, Pune

51. Hemani Padya, Mumbai

52. Ganesh Ghuge, Pune

53. Dheeraj Barathe, Pune

54. Deepak Kamble, Buddhist Society Of India, Pune

55. Chandrakant Chavan, Pune

56. Bharati Mirchandani, Pune

57. Birajdar Ganesh, Latur

58. Assunta Christy, Pune

59. Akhilesh Deshpande, Amravati

60. Ashwin Gambhir, Prayas Energy Group, Pune

61. Akshay Utane, Korad Wahu

62. Abhijit Patil, Dhule

63. Anish Tore, Pune

64. Anita Kharat, SHG, Baramati

65. Abhay Saha, Initiatives of Change, Pachgani

66. Akshay Indikar, Film Maker, FTII, Pune