<p> <br />Instead of waiting for the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India to come into being to take a decision on the controversial crop, the academies favour Bt Brinjal’s immediate commercial release in a limited manner.<br /><br />“But its performance in the field, in all aspects, should be monitored by an independent committee which should not include the suppliers or their representatives,” the inter-academy panel recommended in its report, a copy of which is available with Deccan Herald.<br /><br />Submitted to the Centre on September 20, the report was the outcome of an unprecedented exercise following the high-pitched debate on the introduction of Bt eggplant as the first GM food crop in India.<br /><br />A month after a moratorium was announced by Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, the minister and Planning Commission member K Kasturirangan had asked the academies to review the safety, regulatory needs and farming practices for GM crops in general and Bt brinjal in particular.<br /><br />“It was a major exercise. Nothing like this happened before. The government now has to take a call on it,” said M Vijayan, president, Indian National Science Academy.<br />The 25-page report gives a thumbs up to the contentious crop. “Bt Brinjal is safe for human consumption and that its environmental effects are negligible. It is appropriate now to release Bt Brinjal for cultivation in specific farmers’ fields in identified states. No deleterious environmental effect is anticipated,” the report says.<br /><br />Notwithstanding the regulatory approval, Ramesh stopped commercialisation of Bt Brinjal till the time when “public feels comfortable” with it. “Perceptions are important. We should reassure the public scientifically,” Vijayan said.<br /><br />The review was conducted by the INSA, Indian Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Academy of Medical Sciences and National Academy of Engineering Sciences.<br /><br />The academies unequivocally said development of GM crops is too important for food safety to leave it overwhelmingly with the private sector. “The main responsibility should rest with publicly funded institutions. This calls for massive government investment in the (GM) programme,” it says.<br /><br />Pointing at the poor post-release surveillance, the academies said specific mechanism should be created for post-release monitoring, which should include provisions for providing effective technical advice to farmers. “Independent and continuous post-release surveillance is important as today’s full truth can become tomorrow’s half truth,” said Vijayan, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.</p>
<p> <br />Instead of waiting for the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India to come into being to take a decision on the controversial crop, the academies favour Bt Brinjal’s immediate commercial release in a limited manner.<br /><br />“But its performance in the field, in all aspects, should be monitored by an independent committee which should not include the suppliers or their representatives,” the inter-academy panel recommended in its report, a copy of which is available with Deccan Herald.<br /><br />Submitted to the Centre on September 20, the report was the outcome of an unprecedented exercise following the high-pitched debate on the introduction of Bt eggplant as the first GM food crop in India.<br /><br />A month after a moratorium was announced by Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, the minister and Planning Commission member K Kasturirangan had asked the academies to review the safety, regulatory needs and farming practices for GM crops in general and Bt brinjal in particular.<br /><br />“It was a major exercise. Nothing like this happened before. The government now has to take a call on it,” said M Vijayan, president, Indian National Science Academy.<br />The 25-page report gives a thumbs up to the contentious crop. “Bt Brinjal is safe for human consumption and that its environmental effects are negligible. It is appropriate now to release Bt Brinjal for cultivation in specific farmers’ fields in identified states. No deleterious environmental effect is anticipated,” the report says.<br /><br />Notwithstanding the regulatory approval, Ramesh stopped commercialisation of Bt Brinjal till the time when “public feels comfortable” with it. “Perceptions are important. We should reassure the public scientifically,” Vijayan said.<br /><br />The review was conducted by the INSA, Indian Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Academy of Medical Sciences and National Academy of Engineering Sciences.<br /><br />The academies unequivocally said development of GM crops is too important for food safety to leave it overwhelmingly with the private sector. “The main responsibility should rest with publicly funded institutions. This calls for massive government investment in the (GM) programme,” it says.<br /><br />Pointing at the poor post-release surveillance, the academies said specific mechanism should be created for post-release monitoring, which should include provisions for providing effective technical advice to farmers. “Independent and continuous post-release surveillance is important as today’s full truth can become tomorrow’s half truth,” said Vijayan, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.</p>
