Jai Ho Ramesh!

With the decision of announcing indefinite moratorium on Bt Brinjals’ immediate commercialization by Jairam Ramesh, the incumbent Minister of State (I/C) become the darling of the masses. His well thought, argued and articulated decision might have surfaced the tussle within the cabinet, with the vehement attacks by none other the Mr. Irresponsible Sharad Pawar and Shri Prithviraj Chavan over the issue. Even the PM has backed his sheer heartedness and the responsibly taken decision. He single handedly took the situation in control with the consensus of majority stakeholders unlike own Agri Minister Sharad Pawarjee, the man who is still untouched by the feelings and reeling of a common man, when the food items and almost all the essentials’ prices reached to an unprecedented level.

Earlier too Mr Pawar commented that the proposed consultations has nothing to do with the Bt Brinjal and the GEAC’s recommendation is final approval and the very moment it was befittingly the words have been returned to him by Mr Ramesh saying that if he remembers then GEAC falls under the prerogative of Environment ministry and as such it has been constituted for the appraisal and not for the final say on the approval of the Genetically Engineered crops and other products. And it has been entrusted only the task of appraisal and recommendation, and not the final approval. I am here for the final say and it would be taken after consulting all the stakeholders and considering the views from everyone. GEAC has fallen as the first ire of people and the minister, and thereafter has been aptly rechristened as “Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee” from the dillemic nomination of “Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee” by the ministry.

It is very hard to realize that why the Marathi ministers, I mean Pawar & Chavan are supporting the MNC (Monsanto), is there any under the table deal among them or, just their association with Maha-grown seed giant Mahyco and thus to keep their Marathi proud high, keeping aside the lives of teeming millions. Why not Mr Pawar and Chavan be first fed with the newly developed Brinjal, in case they are so assured of the associated risks. Let the Scientists and the agents of Bt Brinjal be the best guinea pigs for the conduct of the health tests.

Many advocacy forums including the scientific fraternity of ICAR & CSIR are vehemently supporting the Bt Brinjal cause, irrespective of the Bt cotton experience, but it seems they have forgot the graveyard beneath the cotton success saga throughout the dry tracts of the country, Vidarbha, Telangana, Rayalseema, Northern Karnataka, Punjab etc. The researchers take the denial as their credibility issue and as their contribution to the society have been questioned. But why the compromise on environmental & health safety for the interests of these so called irresponsible researchers. Researchers should not take it as a case of battle lost, but it is just the re-designing of scientific strategies in the larger interest of the common man and the farming community, and instead it is a “win-win situation” for all including the science. Any research has to have some social angles/ dimensions other than the economic gains, which is blatantly violated/ refused in India. It has to be gauged on the parameters of acceptance as per the demand, local taste and tradition of a place, unlike the thousands innumerable varieties developed by the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) handful of which can be seen today in market and in the field, which is utter waste of money, resources and time. The time is ripe for the refinement of science by appropriating the reforms in the system. But for introducing any technology, it has to be taken to be taken for consultation before the stakeholders involved for the gauging the pros and cons of the same and no committee/ autonomous body having the authority to take the autonomous decision based on some lab tests and data provided by that too the producers, which needs to be scrutinized, before considered as reliable and base material for the appraisal purpose.

What is the hurry, when lots of things viz. health hazards, biodiversity risks and many other known & unknown effects are put on the stake and in the condition when there would be no “U” turn? The halt looked mature other than the half cooked speeches of the critics and some of the ministers, which is taken decisively after consensus among the aam admi and reknown scientists like MS Swaminathan, PM Bhargava etc. The Ministry of Agriculture, S&T and HR has to re-define their role and responsibility towards the society with sensible liability, which is running unilaterally with the futile efforts and he outcomes. Merely promoting biotechnology/ GM is not the panacea for food security, but has to have a better perspective for the same.

He became the first minister to initiate the concept of consultation in policy-making for making the consensus among all the stakeholders and considering multitude of issues. The man tirelessly travelled and chaired the consultations across the 7 states and even hurdled with abuses and curses by social organisations & farmers. But sometimes the curses only turns into the blessings in disguise, do prove in the case and given him the strength for steadfastly taking the issues without any sort of bias. Today the outcome is that Ramesh has emerged the champion of all and his tireless effort is clearly reflected in the decision report presented for which he conducted global reviews and consultations for addressing the cause of the ground zero people. The decision will surely have long term impact on the scientific research in India and has raised the bar for other ministries and organizations to show their final liability and duties towards the aam admi.

The Indian Bt Brinjal dilemma

The debate over the approval of Bt brinjal by Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has gone to the next level, with the consultation being held throughout India by engaging different stakeholders under the able headship of Mr Jairam Ramesh. But the consultation faced open revolts with the wide protests by NGOs and even in some cases by the scientific fraternity. Already the Kolkata and Bhubaneshwar consultations faced the ire of the protestors and was closed without any results. Several groups have expressed concern and dissatisfaction over the way in which the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee conducted and approved Bt brinjal field trials. These groups have called for tests by an independent lab.

Dr MS Swaminathan also felt for the need of a regulatory mechanism that inspires people's confidence and genetically engineered foods hold great promise for the future, especially if India intends to cut its hunger rate by half by 2015. In the recently concluded 97^th science Congress, PM Dr. Manmohan Singh also expressed his concerns over the safety issues of GM foods and reiterated that safety must be given full weight, with appropriate regulator control based on strictly scientific criteria.

So, it seems just like another go around phenomenon. Why not we can go to basics and opt for the health, safety and other concerns raised? There are clear indications that people are still not ready for its acceptance without proper health and safety assurances. Just releasing a variety/ hybrid is of no use, if it doesn’t reach the end consumers at affordable rates and is proved of no damage to the human / any other creatures’ health, physiological activity and the ecosystem at large.

The data on safety and efficacy has been examined by 30 scientists who are members of the review committee on genetic manipulation and also the GEAC. The data is sufficient to allay safety and environment concerns, as claimed by the government. But one of the member Dr. P.M. Bhargava furiously revolted by noting that the report of Expert Committee II headed by Arjula R. Reddy, which recommended the approval of Bt Brinjal was full of lies and absurdities, a ludicrous document that brought down Indian science in front of the whole world. And one which looked like it had been written by the public relations officer of the Mahyco-Monsanto collaboration.

It was obvious from the Bt brinjal debate that Indians do not trust the current regulatory structure. Kerala, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have already decided to keep Bt brinjal out. It was objected to even by former health minister Anbumani Ramadoss. But, Mr Ramesh has given assurance that no decision on Bt brinjal would be taken in a haste. He promised to arrive at a decision by February 20 only after conducting hearings in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Nagpur and Chandigarh. In the situation, when researchers’ themselves are not well assured and confident of the Bt Brinjal’s safety aspect, then how could we imagine its approval by the governing and other concerned departments?

After lot of discussions, debates out of research can only make sure/ convince the public/ consumers that, it is clean for environment and safe for humans. Government has to ensure that the decision due next month on going ahead with commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal should not be dismissed without a fair trial. As, in India even the murderer like, Kasab of 9/11 gets the trial. Govt, ICAR and corporates are in for its haste release, which may cause havoc to the health of general public and environment also.

With the widespread protests and debate over the release of Bt brinjal, even the Apex court has asked the government to come clean on the health and environmental effects of the GM food crop. The Supreme Court also wants to know from the Centre to spell out the measures taken to prevent contamination of indigenous crops varieties by open field trials of the Bt brinjal crops. Mr Jairam Ramesh, the Environment and Forests Minister expressed that India needs an autonomous bio-technology regulatory authority and an independent laboratory to conduct various tests.

Bt cotton, too, faced similar opposition a few years ago but today, the country is the largest producer of cotton. Besides, the soil bacterium has been around for many years, but here the situation is not the same as Brinjal being the food crop and a native to Indian subcontinent with unimaginable levels of diversity and consumption pattern. Tackling the debate on scientific basis is ok, other than on the basis of unfounded fears and a fear psychosis. Health and safety issues have to be well taken care of, before the unknown plunge. As there would not be U-turn, once it is introduced and reaches the farmer’s field.

Bt Brinjal- The Indian Chapter

India’s biotechnology regulator Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), on October 14^th gave its green signal to the environmental release of Bt brinjal, the first genetically modified food crop to be allowed in the country. With this, a debate has gripped the entire nation of whether or not to allow GM food crops as this could be a precedent for many other such crops.

Though GEAC has put its stamp on the crop, the final decision rests with the Union Environment Minister, Mr. Jairam Ramesh who has explicitly averred that the matter will be treated with no urgency and only after public deliberations will a final decision arise. However, apart from environment minister Jairam Ramesh’s nod, commercial cultivation of the genetically modified vegetable will require approvals from the ministries of agriculture and health and family welfare.

Currently, Bt cotton is the only genetically modified crop allowed for commercial cultivation and its introduction was prompted by its pests becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides. The commercial cultivation of Bt cotton has reportedly increased cotton yield from 308kg per hectare in 2001 to 508kg per hectare in 2006. The success of Bt cotton in India has in fact raised hopes for Bt brinjal as well. Although brinjal may not transform India’s fortune as was the case with Bt cotton, it might as well clear the deck for many such similar interventions.

The most prominent thing that irks the supporters as well as its critics is the absence of a labeling mechanism for foods in India. This will deprive the consumers to make an informed choice about the foods they consume. More over the labs in the country are not at present capable of identifying GM products, and there is also a big question hovering of who will regulate these products. Whether it will be the Ministry of Food, or will it be Health; Environment or Science and Technology or is there any other separate ministry to be formed in the future to look into the GM matters. Without a clear agreement on these issues, a decision cannot be arrived on this matter. But the time granted should be used constructively to assess the impact of the Bt Brinjal on the Socio – Economic tapestry of Indian Agriculture.

The ethical angle is going to be another major issue which is going to consume lot of newsprint in the coming months. Though scientific definitions may not delineate GM Brinjal as a vegetable with animal traits, to strict vegetarians willful mixing of bacterial genes may raise serious religious and sensitive issues. Cotton per se never faced this problem as cotton is not a food crop. Though sixty percent of the Cotton plant biomass is indirectly or directly linked to our food system, e.g. Cotton seed oil in our vanspati ghee or cotton leaves as fodder to goats and sheep, we have not yet been exposed to direct GM food crop like GM soybean or GM maize. Approval of GM Brinjal will open floodgates to most of them.

If the advisories of the companies are to be trusted, the transgenic vegetables are as safe as any vegetable available in the market, while Anti GM protesters paint a picture of a very gory world of Seed Corporations ruling the world. So where is the truth, may be somewhere in between. What can the Government do to inform the public, can we ask for every GM food be labeled like our green and red dotted foodstuffs? If after a period of 20 years, GM food is found to be dangerous, something like the discovery of toxicity of DDT after almost fifty years of indiscriminate use, will the mega corps pay for the clean up of whatever extent possible?

One obvious and unwanted fall out of this controversies are the misconceptions created in an uninitiated mind about the amazing science of biotechnology. This branch of genetic sciences has the capacity to change the world. We would definitely not have looked at a biotech Brinjal with suspicion, which produces insulin, or Vitamins, for example, instead of Bt Toxin. Valuable time and resources are being frittered out in search of finding a soybean which resists an herbicide rather than a soybean with double protein content. Maybe a corporation will not find it profitable but it could have gained a little more goodwill. Maybe government can take these initiatives and put forward legislatures to this effect.

- Anjana Nair-