Centre misleading Supreme Court on GM mustard: Activists

The Union government is misleading the Supreme Court of India by falsely stating that the genetically modified (GM) mustard crop is not a herbicide tolerant crop even though the approval letter clearly shows the distinct possibility of farmers using the corresponding herbicide Glufosinate, activists said.

In a letter to Environment MInister Bhupender Yadav, Coalition for a GM-Free India said the government has circumvented the rules laid down by the apex court-appointed technical expert committee (TEC) to introduce a hazardous variety of mustard.

Herbicide tolerant crops can withstand the chemicals (herbicides) used to kill weeds. Farmers employ them to avoid high labour costs in removing weeds but reports have shown that the chemicals not only kill biodiversity but also threaten soil organisms.

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Research studies have shown that herbicides were toxic to a range of organisms and adversely affected soil and intestinal microflora as well as plant disease resistance. At least one study has shown that use of glyphosate over 20 years has led to the appearance of 34 weeds that are resistant to the weedkiller.

The government's approval letter states that the herbicide will be allowed to be used only in seed producing plots and usage by farmers without authorisation would lead to legal action under the Central Insecticides Act and Environment Protection Act. The Centre also made a similar submission in its affidavit before the apex court.

Decrying the attempt at "criminalisation" of farmers, the Coalition noted that both the acts don't have any provision that allows action against farmers. The letter noted that the Insecticides Act exempts farmers from legal action while the EP Act doesn't apply to the government's approval letter.

The Supreme Court is expected to constitute a bench to hear three petitions against the Centre's approval of "herbicide-tolerant" GM mustard. "The Coalition challenges the Government of India to explain how it will prevent farmers from using herbicides on a herbicide tolerant crop," it said.

The Coalition's Kavitha Kuruganti demanded the government to immediately ban all the herbicide resistant crops in India and abide by the TEC recommendations.