JD(U) against commercial use of GM mustard, questions high

yield claim New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) JD(U) today said the Centre’s moveof collecting public feedback on the risk assessment report onGM mustards by an expert committee "reeks of non-seriousintent" and demanded that the hybrid variety should not beapproved for commercial release. It argued Indian farmers have proved high yields can beobtained through sustainable agronomic processes and termed asfalse the claims of higher yield through the GM mustard. "The three GMOs (genetically modified crops), according toits developers, will have higher yields, but they have beensilent about the fact that the GM mustard has been engineeredto be herbicide tolerant," the party said in a letter toEnvironment Minister Anil Madhav Dave. It said there is "enormous evidence" presented to theregulators by civil society groups to prove the higher yieldsclaim is a "false" claim. Earlier, the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of CropPlants (CGMCP) of Delhi University had applied for GeneticEngineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC’s) approval forenvironmental release of hybrid DMH-11 for the developmentof new generation hybrids. GEAC, the country’s biotech regulator, constituted expertssub-committee to examine the biosafety data on GM mustard. After the committee examined it, the report was placed onthe Environment Ministry’s website yesterday inviting commentsfrom stakeholders within a period of 30 days. The party said the GMOs have now been "cleared" by thesub-committee and only an assessment document, and not thefull biosafety data, have been put out for public feedback. "Everything about the process of collecting publicfeedback reeks of non-serious intent on a biased assessmentthat is pre-concluded," JD(U) said. The letter was signed by MP Kaushlender Kumar, secretaryAfaq Ahmed Khan and member national executive Aneel Hegde ofthe party which also held a demonstration at the EnvironmentMinistry today. JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hadrecently said he will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modiagainst commercial cultivation of GM mustard as it’s "notgood" for the environment and also mankind. "In view of many issues including problems with theprocess of development of the GM mustard, lack of stringentregulatory scrutiny and the potential human and animal healthissues and environmental problems, we urge that this GMmustard should not be approved for commercial release," theparty said in the letter. (MORE) PTI TDS TIR DVTIR