To:
Shri Prakash Javadekar,
Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change,
Government of India.
Email: pjavadekar@gmail.com
Fax: +91-11-24695329
Dear Shri Javadekar,
Sub: Stop the invasion of GM mustard on our farms and food plates
This is to express our serious opposition to the possible approval of Genetically Modified (GM) Mustard into India, given that there is a report confirming that Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGCMP) transgenic crop developers have moved an application for approval for commercial cultivation of their transgenic mustard hybrid called DMH11. In response to eminent citizens including Padma awardees writing to you expressing their concerns with regard to this GM mustard, on August 1st, you had responded back saying that “there is no application; so the question of allowing does not arise”. So, we knock on your doors once again, given that there is indeed an application now with the regulators.
This DMH11, like other GMOs, will have objectionable health and environmental impacts, going by the experience of other similar GMOs like GM canola in other countries. Super weeds are a real problem, in addition to health impacts of herbicides used on such crops. Contamination of other varieties of mustard is inevitable, and as you know, this has serious implications given that India is a Centre of Diversity for mustard.
The yield myth around transgenic technology is being thrown around once again, while we know that yields of mustard can be increased by ways other than seed-based solutions; further, if hybrids are to be seen as an option, we also know that non-transgenic hybrids are already available in the market, apart from high yielding varieties. Therefore, this GM mustard is unneeded in the first instance – it is not out of place to remind you that many committees in the country had already recommended that transgenic option should be considered only if no other option is available or feasible. It is unimaginable that the regulators have entertained this application at each stage and allowed it to come to this stage, when policy directives should have been used long ago to stop the onward march of this unneeded and unwanted transgenic crop.
This GMO is also unwanted, like all other GMOs in our food and farming systems, as the resounding NO that this country heard from citizens during the Bt brinjal debate, and from the resounding NO emerging from state governments which have even refused to allow field trials of this GMO. In such a situation, it is absolutely unacceptable that the regulators would even consider such an application and process it.
Regulators should have used the recommendations that have come out from the judiciary-based, parliamentary and executive inquiry and study processes into the subject of GM crops, all of which recommended against crops like this GM mustard.
The safety of this GM mustard is unknown and regulators are hiding important information from the public to protect the interests of crop developers. What exactly is being hidden and why? Why does objectionable conflict of interest continue in the GEAC, with a scientist of CGCMP being a member?
We demand that the regulators put out all the biosafety information on this GMO for public scrutiny, as laid down by CIC and Supreme Court Orders in the past.
We also warn the government against any moves to approve this GMO – we will not allow the choices of farmers and consumers to be violated by the introduction of an unsafe, irreversible and uncontrollable technology; we demand that the regulators do not process this application. It is within your capacity to intervene at this stage and ensure that the regulators – who have time and again proven their apathy, incapability, conflict of interest, lack of scientificity and lack of transparency – do not go against public interest in any way.
Sincerely,
1) Aaroh Campaign, Uttar Pradesh
2) Abhishek Joshi, Sarson Satyagraha (a pan-Indian Alliance)
3) Anant Bhoyar, Gavkus Group, Nagpur, Maharashtra
4) Ananthasayanan, Safe Food Alliance, Chennai
5) Anil Kumar, PWESCR, Delhi
6) Anita Paul, Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation, Uttarakhand
7) Anna Suraksha Adhikaar Abhiyan, Gujarat
8) Aruna Rodrigues, Sunray Harvesters, Madhya Pradesh
9) Aruna Roy, Shankar Singh and Nikhil Dey, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
10) Balaji Shankar, Tharchaarbu Iyakkam
11) Banuben Said, Malia Mahila Shakti Sangathan, Gujarat
12) Bhakar Bhitrot Adiwasi Vikas Manch, Rajasthan
13) Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch (pan-Indian network of seed savers)
14) Bharat Mansata, Vanvadi Agro-ecological Regeneration Association (VARA), Maharashtra
15) Binni Azad, SHARC, Jharkhand
16) Caring Citizens’ Collective, Telangana
17) Chandra, Women Education And Economic Development Trust
18) Chitrakshi Jain, Centre for Social Justice, Ahmedabad
19) D V Sreedhar, Goodnews India Foundation
20) Debashis Ray, Caregiver Trust, Kolkata
21) Dr Ashok Bang & Niranjana Maru, Chetana Vikas, Maharashtra
22) Dr Asish Ghosh, ENDEV-A Society for Environment & Development, Kolkata
23) Dr Debal Deb, Basudha, Odisha
24) Dr Janak Palta McGilligan, Jimmy McGilligan Centre For Sustainable Development, Madhya Pradesh
25) Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary, President, Bhartiya Krishak Samaj
26) Dr Mira Shiva, Doctors for Food Safety & Biosafety
27) Dr Nandita Shah, SHARAN, Auroville
28) Dr Pushpa Mittra Bhargava, Former Director and Founder of CCMB, Hyderabad
29) Dr Rukmini Rao, Raithu Swarajya Vedika, Telangana
30) Dr Safique Ul Alam and Soumitro Banerjee, The Breakthrough Science Society (BSS), Kolkata
31) Dr Vandana Shiva, Navdanya
32) Ekal Nari Shakti Sanghatan, Jharkhand
33) Food Sovereignty Alliance, Telangana/Andhra Pradesh
34) Fuliben Nayak, Ratanmahal Adivasi Mahila Sajive Khet Utpadak ane Vechan Mandli, Gujarat
35) G John, Thread
36) Gopal Krishna, Toxics Watch Alliance (TWA)
37) Gopi Devarajan, Organic Farmers Market
38) Guliben Nayak, Devgadh Mahila Sangathan, Gujarat
39) H R Prakash, ARTIC, Andhra Pradesh
40) Hiral Dave, Cohesion Foundation Trust, Gujarat
41) Indira, Food Security Army, Kerala
42) Iykiya Vivasayegal Sangam
43) Jagannathan, Nalla Keerai, Thiruvellore
44) Janakiraman, Umblacherry Native Cattle Breeders Association
45) K Jagadeesan, Advisor, Federation of Tamil Nadu Rice Mill Owners’ Association
46) Kalpana Sathish, ROOTS Network of Women Farmers, Tamil Nadu
47) Kalpavriksh, Pune/Delhi
48) Kapil Shah, Jatan Trust, Gujarat
49) Karpagam, Point Return, Maduranthagam
50) Karthikeya Sivasenapathy & Himakiran Anugula, Senaapathy Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation
51) Kavitha Kuruganti, ASHA (Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture)
52) Lakshman Singh Muniya, Beej Swaraj Abhiyan, Madhya Pradesh
53) Local Futures/International Society for Ecology and Culture
54) Mahila Umang, Uttarakhand
55) Maj Gen S.G.Vombatkere (Retd), Karnataka
56) Manvendra Singh, Greenpeace India
57) Naresh Save and Ashok Sanghavi, Bhaskar Save Natural Farming Training Centre, Valsad, Gujarat
58) North East Network, Nagaland
59) NTUI, Delhi
60) Oswald Quintal, Director, Kudumbam
61) P Srinivas Vasu, SOIL, Karnataka
62) Pamayan, Thaalanmai Uzhavar Iyakam
63) Pankaj Bhushan, GM Free Bihar Movement
64) Ponnuthai, Kalanjium Women Farmers’ Association
65) Poonam Kathuria, SWATI organisation
66) Prasad Chacko, Human Development and Research Centre, Ahmedabad
67) Rachna Arora, Convener, Public Awareness on GM Food
68) Radha Holla, independent researcher, Delhi
69) Radhika Rammohan, Restore, Chennai
70) Rajesh Krishnan, Coalition for a GM-Free India
71) Rajinder Chaudhary, Advisor, Kudrati Kheti Abhiyan, Haryana
72) Ramasubramanian, Samanvaya Consulting, Chennai
73) Ramesh Chandran, ANANTHA
74) Reetu Sogani, Chintan International Trust, Uttarakhand
75) Richa Audichya, Jan Chetna Sansthan
76) ROOTS, Tamil Nadu
77) SAI Sanctuary Trust, Karnataka
78) Sangeetha Sriram, Restore Gardens, Chennai
79) Saraswati, Women’s Coalition for Change, Tamil Nadu
80) Sardabai Garasia, Tribal Saving and Credit Cooperative Society
81) Sarmibai Garasia, Tribal Tendupatta Collectors Cooperative Society
82) Saroj Mohanty, Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanvay Samithi, Odisha
83) Sarson Satyagraha (a pan-Indian alliance)
84) Seetha Ananthasivan, Bhoomi Network, Bangalore
85) Sejal Dave, Area Networking and Development Initiative-ANANDI
86) SEWA-Kerala
87) Shalini Bhutani, Campaign for Conservation and Community Control over Biodiversity
88) Shanthi G, Rural Women’s Liberation Movement
89) Sheelu Francis, Women’s Collective
90) Shramajivi Mahila Samithy, Jharkhand
91) Siva Senapathy Natarajan, Bargur Malai Madu Vazapoor Sangam
92) Soma KP, CAWL Rights (Collective for Advancement of Womens Land and Livelihoods Rights)
93) Soumik Banerjee, Swala Kisan Sangathan, Sundarpahari-Godda, Jharkhand
94) Srinath, Tula Foundation
95) Stella, Kalanjium Unorganised Union
96) Subhash Mehta, Devarao Shivaram Trust, NGO Associationf or Agricultural Research Asia Pacific (NAARAP)
97) Sundari, Tamilnadu Resource Team
98) Sunita Rao, Vanastree, Karnataka
99) Suresh Kanna, SAGE Tamil Nadu Chapter
100) Suresh Lakshmipathy, Go Organic Life
101) Valliammal, Tamil Nadu Dalit Women’s Movement
102) Venkat, State Alliance of People’s Movements, Tamil Nadu
103) Vimala, Tamil Nadu Women’s Forum, Tamil Nadu
104) Tamilnadu Green Movement
105) Tamilnadu Organic Farmers’ Federation
106) Thirumalai, Nalla Sandhai, Thiruvellore
107) Umendra Dutt, Kheti Virasat Mission, Punjab
108) Usha Kumari, Thanal, Kerala
109) Vasant Futane, Vidarbha Organic Farmers Study Group
110) Vasu, Rural Workers’ Movement, Tamil Nadu
111) Vinish Gupta, Jeevanshala Trust, Sirsi, Karntaka
112) Vinita Mansata, Earthcare Books, Kolkata
113) Vishal Vijay Ghodke, Naturesgram, Maharasthra
114) Wekowe-u Tsuhah, North East Network