Sambalpur: Farmer outfits here took to street Saturday protesting the government’s move to grant clearance to genetically modified (GM) hybrid mustard seeds, the first transgenic food crop in the country, and demanded a total ban on its field trial.
Paschim Orissa Kushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti and Deshi Bihan Suraksha Manch demanded that the government make its stand clear on the GM variety of food crop. They also urged the authorities to make findings of its field trial public. The trial was conducted by the Delhi University in compliance with a Supreme Court order in 2005.
In a memorandum to Union environment minister Praksh Javadekar, farmers warned to intensify their stir if the government does not take measures to concede their demands.
The outfit mentioned in the memorandum that cultivation of Bt brinjal was banned in the country after stringent protests from farmer outfits and green activists throughout the country.
The government at that time had promised not to allow GM crop until it is proved that it does not have adverse effects on farmers. Even a total ban on GM crop in the country was the main poll plank of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2014 elections.
But it is unfortunate that the Delhi University is conducting its field trials before its regular cultivation.
The memorandum further mentioned that even though the SC in a direction issued in 2005 had directed the concerned authorities to make public results of the field trials, it is yet to be implemented.
The letter also cited negative implication of the hybrid crop including health concerns like allergenicity, transfer of antibiotic resistant genes from GM food to cells or bacteria in the gastroenteristinal tracks. GM mustard can affect honeybees effecting flowering and pollen production. The GM variety also poses environmental hazards as it requires more feriliser and is herbicide resistant.
Famers demanded that instead of spending resources on developing a GM variety, the government should focus on providing proper infrastructure, irrigation facility, market and review the import policy of mustard and other edible oils to promote cultivation of traditional mustard. PNN
