Govt mulling to allow GM crops cultivation

The success of genetically modified (GM) cotton has led the government to allow farming of another GM crop Bt. Brinjal – a genetically modified brinjal containing an alien gene Bascillus thuringiensis (Bt) – that is at the final stage of approval. However, it has brought strong objection from the health minister Ramadoss himself.

The GM crops are modified crops, which seed's DNA has been changed through genetic engineering for several purposes including making seed food pests and insect resistance, producing more crops and keeping fresh food items for longer terms.

India had allowed the cultivation of GM cotton five years ago and has got impressive result as being transformed from importer to exporter of the cotton on mass scale after implementing the GM cottonseed cropping.

Inspired by this fact, the Environment Ministry is planning to allow the cropping of Bt Brinjal while Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has opposed the proposal of environment ministry in view of its possible health impacts and cropping which still need the proper holistic research.

Opposing the ‘consideration’ of environment ministry, Ramadoss said that he as union health minister and his party (Pattali Makkal Katchi, PMK) as a political platform would keep on opposing the GM foods and its cropping, as the long term use of GM foods may harm the human health while the agriculture of GM crops would hurt the fate of small farmers because of the high yield seed.

The scientists and experts too believe that the uncontrolled lab testing of GM food can create many problems in future for our ecosystem and living species, including human beings. Moreover, the unrestricted farming of GM crops can mar wildlife due to the tendency of GM crops of growing rapidly with weeds and if herbicide-tolerant crops were sprayed with herbicide massively, then it would be difficult for wild plants to survive.

Similarly, the plants toxic to insects may result into insect-free environment that could prove dangerous for other wildlife such as birds that feed on weed seeds and/or insects for food resources.

This is why several countries including Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, all countries in the European Union and many in Africa have either barred the entry of GM foods or have imposed strict restrictions on their commercial use.

But, India is one of the six leading countries that are conducting field trials of GM crops and if all tests are normal, Bt Brinjal may reach to Indian consumers within a year, official sources said.

“All the tests for GM crops in India are conducted under controlled supervision. If we are convinced by the tests, it may be introduced in a year's time," said B S Parashera, Director of Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), under the ministry of environment.

‘Besides brinjal, there are over two-dozen varieties of rice and an equal number of tomatoes, many types of potato, sugarcane, soy and okra awaiting GEAC approval,’ added Parashera, ‘after GEAC approval, the agriculture ministry would assess its pros and cons before allowing it for mass-scale production.’

Former President A P J Abdul Kalam has also advocated the farming of GM foods as the advanced and modified technique of agriculture would lead India towards second green revolution and the food crisis problem can be solved using this technique.

On the other hand, some scientists across the globe argue that there is enough food in the world to fulfill the need of world population and it is only mismanagement that creates the ‘food crisis’ problem.