Thanks for this statement. I understand that GM drugs (insulin for eg) are used for quite some time now. But GM drugs have not attracted any opposition, not in public at least. Is there anything that distinguishes between GM drugs and GM food in the fundamentals.what is the view of the learned scientists on the issue of GM drugs. I will be grateful to you for an explanation. farida
On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 12:07 PM, Gopal Krishna <[email protected]>wrote: > *Press Release* > > *Experts Question Approval of Bt Brinjal* > > *Violates Cartagena Protocol & Precautionary Principle* > > New Delhi 28/1/2010: THE claimed benefits and the apparent risks emerging > from inadequate regulatory and monitoring systems of the proposed > introduction of Bt Brinjal, a transgenic variety of brinjal were rigorously > examined at a Colloquium organised by the Centre of Social Medicine and > Community Health (CSMCH), School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru > University (JNU), New Delhi, in collaboration with Hazards Centre, New Delhi > on the 27th of January. > > Taking cognisance of the valid questions raised about the conflict of > interest ridden Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, the experts > recommended adoption of precautionary principles and adherence to Cartagena > protocol of which India is a party. The experts at the Colloquium felt that > Bt Brinjal requires to be further studied by a trans-disciplinary, > independent and impartial team of scientists keeping in mind the short-term > and long-term consequences of genetic pollution linked acute and chronic > toxicity of food chain. > > The Colloquium adopted the following Resolution. > > *RESOLUTION* > > The Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, School of Social > Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in collaboration with > Hazards Centre, New Delhi, organised a Colloquium on Bt Brinjals on the 27 > th of January 2010. Attended by students and faculty, the house resolved > as follows. > > Various issues are unresolved about the problematic nature of transgenic > technologies in general and Bt in particular. One core issue was the > competence, the transparency and the conflict of interest in the regulatory > process prior to the grant of licence to market Bt brinjal. > > Safety issues have not been adequately dealt with both in terms of food > safety and environmental safety. Long-term studies on allergicity and > toxicity have not been carried out prior to approval. > > We are also concerned about the implications for food security for the > country. It is not desirable to hand over the control of seeds to > transnational monopolies. To ensure that access to seed is ensured, the > Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime must retain farmer’s rights and > must not reduce flexibilities in Indian law. > > As per the Cartagena protocol, to which India is a signatory, transgenic > versions of crops for which we are the country of origin should not be > permitted. Mexico, China and Peru follow this protocol. Thus transgenic > varieties of Bt brinjal cannot be permitted in India. > > A system of post-release monitoring must be put in place before commercial > release is allowed into the environment to assess the performance and > impact. Exhaustive socio-economic studies are necessary to assess the impact > of transgenic crops on traditional agricultural systems and indigenous > crops. > > A proper system of labelling of GM crops must be put in place with public > awareness to enable informed choices. > > A system of public participation in decision- making and in regulatory > bodies must be put in place. All regulatory data and bio-safety data should > be available to the public. > > A law of liability must also be in place before commercial release is > permitted so that companies are liable to health and environmental damage > that might ensue. > > Till such systems are in place, this house calls for a moratorium on all > transgenic crops. > > The herbicide tolerant trait should not be permitted in India as this will > displace agricultural labour and destroy valuable plants used as food, > fodder and medicines. > > There is indeed an acute agrarian crisis in the country. The solution to > this does not lie in GM technologies. There are cheaper, safer, healthier > options that must be explored and supported. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The participants included eminent experts like Dr Pushpa Bhargava, Founder > Director, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Prof. Mohan Rao, > Professor, CSMCH, JNU, Prof. Deepak Pental, Vice Chancellor, University of > Delhi, Dr. Suman Sahai, Convener, Gene Campaign, Dr. Rama Baru, Professor, > CSMCH, JNU, Dr N. Raghuram, School of Biotech, Guru Gobind Singh > Indraprastha University, Dr K.C. Bansal, Professor, National Research > Centre on Plant Biotech, IARI, Prof. K.J. Mukherjee, School of > Biotechnology, JNU and Dunu Roy, Director, Hazards Centre. > > The Colloquium was preceded by a letter sent by CSMCH to the Union Ministry > of Environment and Forests. The resolution of the Colloquium would be sent > to the Union Agriculture Ministry and Union Health Ministry shortly besides > the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The program of the Colloquium > is attached. > > For Details: Dr. Mohan Rao, Professor, Centre of Social Medicine and > Community Health, JNU > > Phone: 26704490 > > E-mail: [email protected] > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Green Youth Movement" group. > To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. 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