Rashme Sehgal DR P.M. Bhargava, a genetic scientist widely regarded as the architect of modern biology and biotechnology in India, warns against genetically modified foods being pushed into the Indian market without proper safety trials. "A very dangerous precedent has been set in the country whereby GM foods, like Doritos corn chips, are being sold off the shelf against the law, and Bt cotton being cultivated without a comprehensive risk assessments having been conducted," Bhargava pointed out. "The most disturbing aspect is that toxicity tests being conducted by the applicant company. Will any applicant for permission to release a genetically modified organism (GMO) say its GMO is not safe? Monsanto is the world's largest seed supplier, and has a vested interest," he said. "We do not need Bt cotton or GM food because no major advantage is being conferred by these foods and the harm they may cause has still to be properly assessed. Most countries around the world have imposed a ban on these foods, but the Indian government refuses to listen," he claimed. Bhargava, who founded the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, said, "The government and scientific bodies have ignored several reports on the failure of Bt cotton to increase yields and how it has adversely impacted lakhs of farmers who are now shifting from cotton to soybean. Bt cotton seeds are more expensive and cost Rs 1,650 per packet as opposed to the cost of normal seed which is Rs 450," he said. He warned that the government needed to pay much more attention to the death of over 1,000 cattle that foraged on the remnants of Bt cotton plants in some districts of Andhra Pradesh over the last few years. Another aspect being highlighted by him is how Monsanto-Mahyco's new studies have shown a gene flow of up to 15-20 metres (that is, the Bt gene can affect non-Bt plants that are 10-20 metres away) in the case of Bt brinjal, and 10 metres for Bt cotton. "For India's majority of farmers, with holdings of less than two hectares of land, a 10-metre gene flow would render a third of their holdings unviable. That is a huge loss," he warned. The supervisory agencies have turned a blind eye to what is going on. In West Bengal, trials of Bt okra, which started in mid-August 2007, were done on the basis of approval by the panchayat. Bhargava is asking the question as to what knowledge do panchayats have about genetically modified organisms (GMO) and GM foods, especially since they are susceptible to all kinds of pressures. The State Biotechnology Coordination Committee and the District Level Committee have not approved these trials. West Bengal's Agriculture University monitoring the trials has also given a damning report about trials. He said, "I have also highlighted that several of the tests that are claimed to have been conducted may never have been done. This is because Monsanto-Mahyco itself is conducting the tests for its own products that it wants to be approved. Being the interested party, the company could have taken ordinary non-GM vegetables instead of the GM ones for the test which will naturally prove to be okay. The result would be very different if an independent professional organisation had conducted these tests," he said. Many tests on GM foods and crops are taking place in non-accredited laboratories that do not have the expertise and facilities to test these food items. Why has the government not taken note of all these warnings ? "The answer sadly lies in the fact that our country is very corrupt. We must not forget that Monsanto produced Agent Orange which was used in the US-Vietnam war to defoliate thousands of sq. km of Vietnam. Monsanto and some bureaucrats may stand to gain but this would be a disaster for India's billion plus," he said.