The need of the hour is for an independent evaluation of the long-term impact of transgenics on farm productivity, genetic mutation and bio-safety.

Girijaa Upadhyay

It was extremely reassuring to see the Prime Minister endorse the decision of the Environment Minister on February 9, imposing a two-year moratorium on the environmental release of Bt brinjal in India. It is a most enlightened decision, considering the complex nature of the issues and the pulls and pressures of various lobbies that may be at work. The decision, however, does more than simply press the pause button; it underscores the present as a time of reckoning.

The striking feature of the current controversy is that there is no scientific consensus, on the safety of GM crops for food, be it for animals or humans. The effects of the introduction of the genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into cotton and food crops do not appear to be fully predictable or safe if we listen to (I did not say believe) its opponents. While the Bt toxin by itself, based on current information, is thought to be harmless in human and animal stomachs and guts, there are contrarian scientific observations on its adverse effects on the ecosystem...............Click for more

Source Web Page: Business Line