Want Central, State agencies to take action to stop cultivation, investigate spread of the illegal variety Genetically modified (GM) brinjal is being illegally grown in the Fatehabad district of Haryana, according to anti-GM activists. On Thursday, they demanded that Central and State regulatory agencies immediately take action to stop the …
Cotton has been the biggest success story in Indian agriculture since the Green Revolution. In a country struggling with stagnant yields in most crops, cotton has been the one bright spot. Production has soared from 13.6 million bales (each bale is 170 kg) in 2002-03 to 31.2 million bales in …
NANDAN Nilekani has just submitted his report on how the Centre should give direct fertiliser subsidy to farmers, but Odisha has already rolled out a scheme to reimburse maize farmers their cost of fertiliser. This will benefit about 45,000 farmers picked for a special maize scheme. Under the scheme, the …
Drawing on the literature on controversies, especially on the health risk assessment of genetically modified organisms in Europe, and long-standing debates in science and technology studies, this article argues that science-based risk assessment has inherent limitations, however rigorous, independent, and peer reviewed the work may be. In this context, the …
New Delhi Since the introduction of genetically modified (GM) cotton crop, which accounts more than 90% in the total area under cotton in the country, there has been a fear of genetic erosion and loss of biodiversity, a group of reputed cotton breeders have expressed. While acknowledging the fact that …
Centre approves field trials of 14 GM crops. But some states refuse trials, saying safety regulations are too lax. With politicians joining activists, the issue is likely to take a politically volatile turn. This special report in DTE uncovers the mess in GM crops. As India gets ready to unleash …
AT daybreak on March 11, there was a burst of activity at Litchi Lawn, a corner plot on the sprawling campus of the Pusa Institute in Bihar’s Samastipur district. Workers were uprooting the maize growing in a small patch of land close to the office, intent on finishing their work …
How do you propose to deal with conflict of interest in GEAC? Around three months ago a document called Declaration of Independence was prepared. Scientists who are members of GEAC were asked to sign it. The declaration states that a scientist can take decisions independently. If a GEAC member is …
Bt brinjal gets fresh push for clearanceBt Brinjal may soon be back on the menu. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) which met last week is pushing for its "partial release". In February 2010, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had imposed an indefinite moratorium on the commercial release of the world's …
WHY would a company with a turnover of Rs 9,712 crore and profits of Rs 933 crore want a research loan of less than Rs 10 crore from the government? Ask the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), which has become venture capitalist to well-heeled industry. In a novel scheme that turns …
THREE months after the country’s top science academies released their controversial report backing genetically modified (GM) crops and hastily withdrew it after it was panned by the scientific community, they are back with an updated report—and the verdict is that it is worse than the original. The Inter-Academy Report on …
A shoddy inter-academy report on GM crops casts a shadow on the integrity and competence of Indian science, while a US expert finds approval for Bt brinjal deeply flawed according to this latest special report in Down to Earth. A shoddy inter-academy report on GM crops casts a shadow on …
When six of India’s top scientific academies were asked by Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh in March to assess the feasibility and safety of genetically modified (GM) crops and their regulation, it was expected their evaluation would help resolve the highly contentious question of growing GM food …
Memorandum to the Committee on Agriculture with views on “cultivation of genetically modified food crops – prospects and effects” presented at the sitting of the Committee on October 19, 2010.
Memorandum to the Committee on Agriculture with views on “cultivation of genetically modified food crops – prospects and effects” presented at the sitting of the Committee on October 19, 2010.
Sandip Das Despite the ministry of environment and forest putting moratorium on the commercial cultivation of BT brinjal, Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Limited (Mahyco), is undertaking research work on developing new varieties such as BT okra and BT rice. Usha Barwale Zehr, chief technology officer of Mahyco spoke to FE's …
This report evaluates the scope and adequacy of the environmental risk assessment (ERA) for hybrid EE-1 Bt brinjal requested by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) in response to the Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Ltd., Mumbai (Mahyco) application for permission to commercialise hybrid EE-1 Bt brinjal. The assessment is reported …
Scientist C. Kameswara Rao reviews the document released by the Minister of Environment and Forests of the Government of India that declares a moratorium on the commercial release of Bt brinjal (eggplant) in India. Through a scientific review process Dr. Rao points out the bias and lack of scientific reason …
