———- Forwarded message ———
From: GM Free India <indiagmfree@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2022 at 11:31
Subject: Urg request for extension of public feedback deadline for FSSAI draft regulations on GM foods
To: <ceo@fssai.gov.in>
Cc: <chairperson@fssai.gov.in>, <hfm@gov.in>, <vaibhav.bajaj@gov.in>, Preeti Sudan <secyhfw@nic.in>
To:
The Chief Executive Officer,
Dear Sir,
Sub: Extension of timeline for public feedback on the draft regulations that FSSAI has notified on November 15th 2021 by at least six more months
This is with regard to the draft regulations that FSSAI has published for public comments and feedback on November 15th 2021, giving 60 days’ deadline for the same. Most of us are getting to know about such draft regulations being put out only now, and also find that the draft is not available in any Indian languages. There is much concern about GM foods amongst citizens, and there is a deep interest in wanting to engage with the FSSAI’s processes of evolving sound regulation apt for India.
Meanwhile, the covid pandemic spread is on the rise again in India, and this is affecting our ability to meet and debate these regulations. In this context, we write to you, to request you:
– To extend the deadline by at least six more months,
– During which time, Indian language versions of the draft notification should be put out by FSSAI
– During which time, FSSAI should organize public consultations in vernacular languages.
In the meantime, in the absence of any regulatory regime being put in place, any GM food will be illegal and not permitted in India, as FSSAI has already stated in its affidavit in the Supreme Court of India. Urging you once again to extend the deadline for receiving public comments,
Sincerely,
1. Farmer and Co. Chennai
2. Ab Hamid Bhat, Owner, Kangan
3. Abha Mishra
4. Abhijeet Barua, Mumbai
5. Aditya Narayan, Narayan Organique Farms, Rayaraopet, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri Distt., Telangana
6. Ajay Etikala, Safe Food Activist, Delhi
7. Ajay Rastogi, Foundation for the Contemplation of Nature Majkhali
8. Aju Mukhopadhyay, Poet, Author, Critic and Environmentalist, Individual Freelancer, Pondicherry, Puducherry
9. Amal Joe George, Stride Group, Kerala
10. Amit Gadewal, Government P.G. College, Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
11. Ananthoo, Safe Food Alliance, Chennai, Tamilnadu
12. Aniket Chaware, Dhamangaon
13. Anish Madeti, Citizen of India, Visakhapatnam
14. Anitha Santhi, Ecologist, Kerala
15. Anoop Singh Rawat, Pharma statistician, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
16. Anshuman Das, Bhoomi Ka
17. Antara Ray, Agroecologist, Kolkata, West Bengal
18. Aprajaya Makkar, Gurgaon
19. Arun Kumar Singh, PhD Research Scholar (University of Delhi), Amethi, Uttar Pradesh
20. Arun Kumar, United Farmers, Tiruvallur
21. Aruna Rodrigues, lead Petitioner: GMO PIL in the SC for a moratorium on GMOs, Mhow Cantt. MP
22. Arushi Wasan, Concerned Citizen
23. Ashish Gosain, Centre for Studies in Science Policy Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi
24. Ashwin Subrahmanian
25. Asif Zaidi, SST, Rajasthan
26. Avik Ray, Center for Studies in Ethnobiology, Biodiversity, and Sustainability (CEiBa)
27. Ayush Joshi, Inclusive Development for Environment and Learning Foundation, UttarKashi, Uttarakhand
28. Balaji Shankar, Organic Farmer & Distributor
29. Bharat Mansata, Earthcare Books, Kolkata
30. Bhavani, R V Consultant, FAO
31. Bindu Mohanty, Research Coordinator, RRA Network
32. Biswajit Panigrahi, Independent Consultant, Bhubaneswar
33. C Bhanuja, Secretary, Rural and Environment Development Society (REDS)
34. Ch Narendra, Senior Journalist, Hyderabad
35. Ch.B.S.Subrahmanyam, Ekalavya Grameena Vikas Foundation
36. Chandra K
37. Chetan Desai, Farmer & Engineer, Village Halaga, District Belagavi, Karnataka
38. Chithra Viswanathan, Citizen, Chennai, Tamilnadu
39. Daya Shankar, Bangalore
40. Deborah Dutta, IRMA, Anand
41. Devadas TP, Media Wings & Mannen Organic FPC, Bangalore
42. Dhiren Mehta, Arham Organic inc, Vadodara
43. Dhruba Das Gupta, Conservation worker and community expert, Kolkata
44. Dilnavaz Variava, Former Member, Expert Committee on Agriculture, Govt of Maharashtra
45. Dipika Sahani, Matruchaya, Navi Mumbai
46. Divya Anusha Devisetty, Kisan Mitra Hyderabad
47. Dr A A Taher Hasan, Librarian, Kabi Nazrul College, Rampurhat, Birbhum, W.B
48. Dr Aniket Aga, Ashoka University
49. Dr Ashwini C Appaji, Bangalore
50. Dr D N Reddy, Professor of Economics (Rtd) University of Hyderabad
51. Dr Debal Deb, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, Kolkata
52. Dr G. G. Sohani
53. Dr Mita Dutta, Basudha, Kolkata
54. Dr N. N Panicker & Sarala Panicker, Tatsat, Trivandrum
55. Dr Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Joint Action for Water, Hyderabad, Telangana
56. Dr Rajinder Chaudhary, Former Professor, Department of Economics, M. D. University, Rohtak (Haryana), Advisor, Kudarti Kheti Abhiyan, Haryana
57. Dr Ramesh Arora, Prof of Agriculture, SGGSW University, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab
58. Dr Salini V S, Kerala
59. Dr Satvinder K Mann, Prof of Plant Pathology and Retd Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab
60. Dr Seema Purushothaman, Professor
61. Dr Suman Sahai, Gene Campaign
62. Dr Tangella Siva Prasad Reddy, Hyderabad Telangana & Pala, Kottayyam, Kerala
63. Dr U. S. Sharma
64. Dr Vijay Laxmi Pandey, Professor, IGIDR
65. Dr Vinod Kumar Dilawari, Professor, Ludhiana, Punjab
66. Ganesh Kashinath Satav, Satav Farms, Takali Bhima, Tal-Shirur, Dist-Pune, Maharashtra
67. Geeta Sahu, Khanapur
68. Gopalsamy Poyyamoli, Pondicherry University, Puducherry
69. Gopi Devarajan, Organic Farmers Market, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
70. Govindasamy Thirunavukkarasu, Thalanmai Uzavar Iyakkam, Sembiyanallur, Thiruvarur District, Tamilnadu
71. Gururaj Rangarao Doddihal, Gururaj Doddihal, Muddebihal, Vijaypur, Karnataka
72. Harpal Singh Grewal, Gurgaon
73. Hemadri Babu G, Mr Tirutani, Tiruvallur district, Tamilnadu
74. Hemadribabu, Natural Farmer, Tiruttani town, Tiruvallur district, Tamilnadu
75. Indhumathi Jaganraja, Neyveli Organics, Neyveli, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu
76. J B Patel
77. Jagan Raja, Aaniivear Organic Foods, Puducherry
78. Jayachandran E S, Professor, Adoor, Pathanamthitta, Kerala
79. Jeevan Kumar, Human Rights Forum, A.P & Telangana, Hyderabad, Telangana
80. Kailash Anerao, Save Earth Save Life, Thane
81. Kalpesh Pandya, Mumbai
82. Kandasamy, Uthamapalayam village, Kangeyam taluk, Tiruppur district, Tamilnadu
83. Kapil Shah, Jatan, Vadodara
84. Karthik Gunasekar, Chennai Climate Action Group, Chennai
85. Karthikeyan. M, Nature-Positive Farming and Wholesome Foods Foundation, Bangalore, Karnataka
86. Kaushal Singh, Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi
87. Kavita Kowshik, Kisan Maitreya
88. Khadar Valli Dudekula, Individual, Mysuru
89. Komala Rangaswamy, Independent Consultant, Bengaluru
90. Kumari Slish, Bhoomi College, Bangalore
91. Latha, Individual, Bangalore
92. Maddipoti Kavitha, Seed technologist, Nizamabad, Telangana
93. Madhu Kumar, Bengaluru
94. Madhuri Mandava, Concerned citizen, Bangalore
95. Madhuri Patil, Vaidya, Navi Mumbai Maharashtra
96. Mangaraj Panda, Secretary UAA, Ganjam Odisha
97. Manju Verma
98. Meera Rajagopalan
99. Michael Rajchandra, Individual, New Delhi
100. Mohsin Raza, Biochemical Nutrition Laboratory, Life Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar
101. Moksha Rishi, Gurgaon
102. Mona Patrao, Redstone Eco Centre & Organic Farm, Panchgani
103. Mukund Kakade, MMC LLC, Mumbai
104. N Dinesh Kumar, Individual, Chennai
105. Nachiket Udupa, Concerned citizen, Rajasthan
106. Nagarajan Krishnamurthy, Jaraganahalli, Bangalore Urban, Karnataka
107. Nagesh Anand, Woodpeckers Initiative, Villupuram, Tamilnadu
108. Nagla Suresh Kumar, Amreli, Gujarat
109. Nalini
110. Namita Bidwaikar
111. Natasha Pereira, Fridays for Future, Mumbai Suburban district
112. Nilima Bhure
113. Padmapriya V, Hyderabad
114. Padmavati, Aantarya, Karnataka
115. Pandeswaram Consumer Cooperative
116. Pandeswaram Farmers Welfare Association
117. Peethala Usha, State Officer, Caritas India
118. Philip Shannon, Shannon Farms & Ventures, Tirucchirapalli
119. Prabu
120. Pradeep Esteves
121. Pradeep T R, Vidyaranyapura, Bangalore, Karnataka
122. Prahalad Rangan, Staff, SUNY – University at Buffalo
123. Priti Turakhia
124. Priya Agarwal, National Coalition for Natural Farming, Hyderabad
125. Prof K Purushotham Reddy, Environmentalist, Motheghanpur, Mahboobnagar. District Telangana
126. Puneet Bansal, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru
127. Pushpa Amulya Kalangi, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad
128. Pushpa Singh, Associate Professor Miranda House, DU
129. Rahul Pratihar, Concerned citizen
130. Raja Sankar and Team Purva
131. Rakesh Kumar Pandey, Shramik Bharti, Kanpur
132. Rama Koteswara Rao Kurra, Farmer and producer, Bommeparthy, Anantapuram, AP
133. Ramasamy Selvam, Tamil Nadu Organic Farmers Federation
134. Ramchandra S Dubey, Annapurna Agro Enterprises, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
135. Ramina Kumar, An agriculturist, Palwal, Haryana
136. Ramit Basu
137. Ravi Shankar Behera, Practical Action India, Bhubaneswar
138. Reena Bajpai, Nashik, Maharashtra
139. Richa Audichya, Bhakar Bhitrot Adivasi Vikas Manch, Abu Road
140. Rosamma Thomas, Kerala
141. Sandeep Mehto, Bharat Calling, Pathrota, Itarsi
142. Sanjeev Naik, Jeeva Bhavana, Pune, Maharashtra
143. Santosh Shivaji Samaji, FSSI, Belgaum
144. Saradha Krishnamoorthy, Sustainable Development Scholar, University of Sussex, UK, Chennai
145. Sathyan D, SOPRA
146. Satish Samrutwar, Sahara Bahuuddeshiy Sanstha, Kinhi, Yavatmal, Maharashtra
147. Seema Agrawal, Sustainable Living Integrated Solutions, Pune, Maharashtra
148. Sehjo Singh, Independent Consultant
149. Shailesh Tawar, TFI Fellow, Pune
150. Shanmuga Subramanian
151. Shiney V, Kerela
152. Shivani Bhatt, Mumbai, Maharashtra
153. Shrenik Shah, Nirmal Organic and Natural Products, Bhavnagar, Gujarat
154. Shreya Chavan, Fridays for Future Mumbai
155. Smitha Naik, Concious citizen, Pune, Maharashtra
156. Somdatta Roy, Unnayan Foundation, Malda
157. Sonam Kumari, SHUATS, Prayagraj
158. South Indian Organic Farmers and Producers Association
159. Sreedevi L, Safe Food Enthusiast, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu
160. Sreeharsha Thanneeru, Rythu Swarajya Vedika, Hyderabad, Telangana
161. Sridhar Reddy, Hyderabad, Telangana
162. Srikanth Koka, Concerned End Consumer, Hyderabad
163. Subha Bharadwaj, Safe Food Alliance, Tamilnadu
164. Subhadra, Farmer, Rangareddy district, Telangana
165. Subhash Ganpat Gadade, Pune Maharastra
166. Sudha N, Independent, Bangalore
167. Suma Josson, Filmmaker
168. Suresh Ediga, Volunteer Hyderabad
169. Sushma Mishra, Wildpaw Adventures, Maharashtra
170. Syed Ghani Khan, Kirugavalu, Karnataka
171. Syed Zaki Ishrati, Hyderabad
172. Tanmay Telang, Independent Consultant, Pune
173. Tejal Mahendra Rajyagor, Mumbai, Maharashtra
174. Thiruvallur Organic Farmers Association
175. Thondaimandalam Foundation
176. Usha Soolapani, Horticulturist, Trivandrum, Kerala
177. Varun S N, Bengaluru City
178. Varun Singla, Vakshi, Ghaziabad
179. Veena Ammanna, Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women’s University, Vijayapur, Karnataka
180. Veerapratap Kande, CSNEHA foundation, Mancherial, Telangana state
181. Vijay Anand
182. Vijay Kumar, Green Warriors, Bengaluru
183. Vinita Menon, Mumbai, Maharashtra
184. Vinoth Kumar Karuppuchamy, Dindigul
185. Vipul Chaturvedi, Managing Director of Innovative Eco-Care Pvt Ltd, Ahmedabad
186. Yash Agrawal, Fridays for Future, Mumbai
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Website: www.indiagminfo.org, email : indiagmfree@gmail.com, Facebook page – GM Watch India
1. FSSAI is not equipped to investigate the GM content in the food therefor before moving forward should set up a separate division on this issue which can asses the the GM content.
2. FSSAI is national level body which does not have infrastructure in most of the states. It works in coordination with State food departments which is not in the capacity to regulate the food safety as per the FSSAI mandate.
2. Our food testing labs esp in various states are not equipped to test many important parameters in normal food . therefore GM food should not be permitted before our labs are upgraded and state level surveillance is done periodically with a robust sample under a third party consumer based organizations.
3. Agriculture, health and food are state subjects. Their Sovereignty must be protected.