“
agri bio
We have been importing and
consuming oil derived from GM
Canola and Soybean for the
several years, so what is the point of
opposing GM Mustard? The subcommittee on GM Mustard has
evaluated all bio-safety data and
found GM Mustard safe. This safety
assessment report also includes
impact on non-target organism and
beneficial insects and there is no difference between
conventional and GM Mustard. So there is all reason to
grow GM Mustard and reduce dependency on oil imports.
Dr Shivendra Bajaj, Executive Director, Association of Biotechnology Led
Enterprises, Agriculture Focus Group (ABLE-AG)
and farmers to ministry
demonstrate the public
participation and participatory
engagement in the process of the
commercial approval of GM
mustard in India.
As per Dr Shivendra Bajaj,
Executive Director, Association of
Biotechnology Led Enterprises,
Agriculture Focus Group (ABLEAG) said, “We have been
importing and consuming oil
derived from GM Canola and
Soybean for the several years, so
what is the point of opposing GM
Mustard? The sub-committee on
GM Mustard has evaluated all
bio-safety data and found GM
Mustard safe. This safety
assessment report also includes
impact on non-target organism
and beneficial insects and there is
no difference between
conventional and GM Mustard. So
there is all reason to grow GM
Mustard and reduce dependency
on oil imports.”
Excerpts from the bio-safety
docket on GM Mustard placed in
the public domain by the Ministry
highlights: ‘Expression of the
introduced proteins, encoded by
the barnase and barstar genes, is
26
BioVoiceNews | October 2016
controlled by a tapetum-specific
promoter and no expression is
detected in the pollen. As a
consequence, the exposure of the
pollinating insects to these
proteins is likely to be negligible.’
Dr Deepak Pental, Professor of
Genetics, Delhi University South
Campus, who is also the developer
of GM Mustard said, “We have
carried out all the necessary
studies with respect to bio-safety
of the GM Mustard hybrid DMH11 and its parental lines. The
report submitted by us to the
MoEF clearly highlights all the
safety assessment data. The issues
being raised are to stop the use of
genetic engineering technologies
for improving crop productivity in
the country. Creating fears on
scientific developments amongst
farmers and common man is
unethical and not in the interest
of development and prosperity”.
Dr Shanthu Shantharam, noted
Biotechnology Regulatory affairs
expert & bio-safety risk
assessment specialist, currently
Professor, University of Maryland
(Eastern Shore) and formerly with
the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) said, "It
seems the beekeepers have been
put up as a front by the anti-GM
activists in a desperate attempt to
derail approvals for GM mustard.
This tactic has been played out by
such groups in both Europe and
to some extent in the US as well.
There is no scientific evidence to
even remotely suggest that honey
bees are affected by any GM crop,
much less by GM mustard."
Honey bee sting on GM
Mustard fails
On September 26, 2016, the
GOVT REJECTS REPORTS ON LACK OF
HEALTH EXPERT IN GEAC
In wake of the allegations over lack of health
expert within the Sub Committee in a section
of media, the Environment Ministry clarified
that Dr B Sesikeran, who is an MD in
pathology and former Director, National
Institute of Nutrition (NIN) Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR) and is currently
serving as chairman, Review Committee on
Genetic Manipulation (RCGM).