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When confronted by farmers, Moily denies giving nod to GM field trials
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Friday, 21 March, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Bengaluru
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fiogf49gjkf0d When confronted by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha’s (KRRS) farmers and members of the South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers’ Movements (SICCFM), environment and forests minister Veerappa Moily claimed that to the best of his knowledge, he had not approved the field trials of genetically-modified (GM) crops.
The farmers demanded that the nod he gave the regulators to go ahead with clearances for GM field trials be revoked and that he also explain the basis on which he reversed his predecessor Jayanthi Natarajan’s decision to suspend approvals given by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC). Moily told them that he only looked at the file and returned it, and did not approve any trials.
“We are not sure if Moily is telling the truth or presenting smart lies to us. If it were indeed true that he only looked at the file and returned it, this means that the GEAC, which is meeting on March 21, 2014 to give further approvals for GM crop trials should not give any clearances, since his predecessor’s orders would still be binding on them,” K T Gangadhar, president, KRRS, said.
“Natarajan, in her letter dated to the prime minister dated July 9, 2013, that she had felt it important to await the Supreme Court’s final judgment in this matter, and with a view to avoid any disrespect to the court, directed that further proceedings may await its decision (which, incidentally, is due on April 15, 2014). This means that this view of the minister has to continue to prevail on the regulators,” he said.
The farmers protested at Moily’s Bengaluru residence in response to his recent announcement at a press conference in New Delhi (that numerous field trials of GM crops, including varieties of rice, wheat and maize, would be permitted across India). Farmer unions, civil society and political parties condemned the decision, given the adverse impacts of GM crops on livelihoods, health and the environment.
“This is a clear turnaround from what he announced in Delhi and what he is believed to have done in terms of giving a nod to the minutes of GEAC’s 117th meeting. If he is hiding behind semantics by saying that he did not clear field trials, we would like to warn him that we would return in greater numbers to protest his lies,” stated KRRS’ working president Chukki Nanjundaswamy.
“If he is speaking the truth that he has not made any file notings at all or given clearances, we would now like him to give express instructions to the regulators not to clear any trials in the upcoming meeting, given the amount of confusion prevailing on the subject,” he added.
Addressing the farmers, Badagalpura Nagendra, KRRS’ general secretary, said, “It is unfortunate that GM crops are being mindlessly promoted by the Centre and state governments.”
“GM crops are the latest tools in the hands of multinational seed companies, such as Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer and DuPont, to take control of our seeds. The decision by Moily to permit the experiments of these risky seeds in our farms across the country shows that our governments are hand in glove with them in making that happen,” said SICCFM’s Kannaiayan Subramanian.
KRRS and SICCFM declared that they would step up the campaign against GM crops and their promoters in the coming days. It would be made into an election issue, and they would not permit a single field trial in the state. They urged Karnataka’s chief minister to stand by the people’s will and deny permission for such risky experiments in the state.
“GM seeds are not just a threat to the country’s seed sovereignty, but also to food safety and sustainability of our environment, and they have no place in our country. Experiences with field trials, both in the country as well as in other parts of the world, show that they can contaminate our seeds and food supply chains,” said Davison of Kerala Coconut Farmers’ Association.
“It is nothing but vested interests to promote GM crops when it is so clear that science and society are against it,” he added.
Moily’s announcement also received flak from the governments of states, such as Kerala (which is ruled by the Congress). Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan had not given their nod for field trials in the past.
Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa responded by saying that she would not permit field trials in her state. Hailing her statement, P Suresh Kumar of Katchi Sarpartra Tamizhaga Vyavasaigal Sangam said, “Agriculture is a state subject, and it is unacceptable that the Centre continues to peddle GM crops despite opposition from state governments.”
Those gathered also pointed to the recommendations by the Parliamentary standing committee on agriculture, which had earlier highlighted the various concerns with GM crops and the inadequacy of their regulation in the country.
They strongly recommended that GM crops not be released and field trials not be conducted, as they could lead to the irreversible contamination of seed and food supply.
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