GM mustard did not undergo even the limited testing that Bt brinjal underwent
In terms of livelihoods, a significantly higher number of people depend on mustard, including agricultural workers and bee-keepers. Photo: iStock. The coalition for a GM-free India, a pan-Indian citizen’s platform, released a report January 6, 2023, showcasing 15 instances where statutory regulations were violated during the appraisal and approval of GM mustard in India.
The report comes ahead of a crucial hearing by the Supreme Court regarding the approval of GM mustard.
Watch video: Does India really need GM Mustard?
GM mustard seed was delivered to the Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research (DRMR) for planting a few days before a formal approval letter was issued to the crop applicant. No independent health expert participated in the GM mustard appraisal, the document pointed out.
Calling it “fait accompli, before formal approval”, the report said GM mustard seed was delivered to DRMR October 22, 2022 — a few days before a formal approval letter was issued on October 25.
Further, the government, in its own undertaking in the court July 28, 2017, assured the Supreme Court that it had not yet taken a decision and that even if the decision was taken, there would not be any situation of creating fait accompli.
However, the planting of GM mustard in six locations of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, reportedly without even isolation distances being maintained, is the deliverance of fait accompli. The Government of India, despite its undertaking in the Supreme Court of India, has delivered a fait accompli, in a highly orchestrated fashion, violative of procedures that ought to have been followed,” it said.
Also read: GM mustard effect: Private firm now seeks Bt brinjal trials
Other violations included granting exemptions for tests prescribed previously, not publishing biosafety dossier on the regulator’s or environment ministry’s website despite the court’s orders and not testing GM mustard as a herbicide-tolerant (HT) crop.
“GM mustard did not undergo even the limited testing that Bt brinjal underwent. In India, while brinjal is grown on about 0.6-0.7 million hectares, mustard is grown on around 80 lakh hectares (more than ten-fold higher extent),” the report said.
In terms of livelihoods too, a significantly higher number of people depend on mustard, including agricultural workers and bee-keepers, it added.
Kavitha Kuruganti of the coalition also alleged that in the apex court, the Attorney General, on behalf of the central government, has been attempting to move the bench’s attention away from the court-appointed Technical Expert Committee’s (TEC) ban recommendation with regard to HT crops.
The TEC ban recommendation on HT crops is based on scientific evidence and after listening to various stakeholders including the Government of India.
“The Government of India-nominated experts into the TEC were also asking for this ban, unanimously, with three other independent experts nominated by the petitioners. This should have clinched matters and the government should have banned these dangerous crops,” she said.
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