Anti-GM crop activists seek time to put forward their concerns

Anti-GM crop activists today sought time from the government to put forth their concerns regarding commercialisation of transgenic mustard, whose research and testing they alleged were done in a "fraudulent and unscientific" manner.
A day after the country's biotech regulator GEAC met for the second time this year, the activists also threatened to "force" the government to debate the issue of commercial cultivation of GM mustard as it pertains to the health and environment of people.
Delhi University's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants has sought permission for environmental release of its transgenic mustard variety from the GEAC.
Coalition for a GM-Free India alleged although they were called by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) meeting yesterday, the regulator behaved in an "unreasonable and unjust" manner which forced them to walk out.

"The GEAC did invite us for a meeting to discuss concerns with regard to transgenic technology and GM mustard on June 20 but behaved in an unreasonable and unjust fashion which forced us to walk out.
"Despite an invitation for a team to come for a discussion from our side, GEAC did the unfair thing of first insisting on only one person coming in front of the committee and gave only 10 minutes of presentation time. Please note that this is the fourth time that this farcical process has been run by GEAC, twice with just 12-36 hours' notice," the Coalition wrote in its letter to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

The Coalition had yesterday termed the transgenic mustard hybrid as a "major scientific fraud" and, said GEAC had chosen to become "opaque and unscientific" while alleging that scientists at Delhi University notched up yield increases through "rigged protocols".

"We will force the government and the nation to debate the issue, as it pertains to the health and environment of all the citizens, and it also pertains to farm livelihoods on which all members of our network work.
"We write to request you to provide us with the time that you promised. The revelations that we have dug out about the fraudulent and unscientific R&D and testing of DMH-11 transgenic mustard are of an extremely serious nature.

"If the government is serious about upholding scientific integrity and rigour in this country, it should listen to the evidence and analysis that we have on this transgenic mustard," the Coalition said in its letter.
Environment Ministry sources, however, yesterday said two groups were invited to the GEAC to make their representations and while one group gave its presentation, the other group (coalition) decided not to citing paucity of time.
"GEAC has now decided to give them time in July so that they can make a detailed presentation," an Environment Ministry source had said.