GM CROPS CAUSE CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS, SAYS EXPERT
Bathinda September 28:
Dr John Fagan, a leading US-based bio-medical researcher, has warned that the increased incidence of cancer and birth defects in Punjab might have been triggered by genetically modified (GM) crops and excessive use of pesticides.
Fagan, who had refused to accept the US government’s $ 1.6 million research grant to protest against the pushing of GM crops into the fields without sufficient research was here for five days, visiting rural areas of the Malwa belt to study the impact of such crops.
He said certain GM crops were found to have 12 to 14 per cent less of cancer-fighting isoflavones identified by the US department of agriculture. Umendra Dutt, executive director, Kheti Virasat Mission, who has raised voice against multi-nationals dumping such hazardous technologies in developing countries, accompanied Fagan during his tour to the fields.
Fagan said the GM crops could be highly disruptive for the ecosystem, leading to the loss of biodiversity and disruption of the food chain, resulting in long-term harm to the environment, economy and food security. This also resulted in soil pollution and increased incidence of cancer, birth defects and other diseases.
He said scientists as well as agriculturists in the US and some other countries had expressed serious concern about genetically engineered crops as bio-technological agriculture caused adverse effects on health. The mealy worm had come due to Bt cotton. Farmers across the US had resisted using genetically engineered seeds, but in India genetically engineered seeds were being used without assessing its impact.
Fagan said instead of following other countries blindly by introducing the GM crops, the Indian government should keep in mind that Western multinationals continued to attempt to cut losses by dumping such technologies in developing countries. Scientists have now developed much more effective and safer approaches, such as marker assisted breeding, which uses the most cutting-edge discoveries in modern genetic science to develop new and valuable crop varieties rapidly, economically and safely.
Suseol, a social scientist and wife of John Fagan, said Indian farmers should follow indigenous traditions instead of running after genetically engineered crops. Dutt said the Kheti Virasat Mission was of the firm view that farmers in Punjab should consider the issues related to GM and Bt crops. The Punjab government and agriculture institutions that were promoting these crops should also reconsider their stand.
He urged farmer groups, consumer organisations and health professionals to join hands to stop the commercial release of Bt brinjal.
Bathinda September 28:
Dr John Fagan, a leading US-based bio-medical researcher, has warned that the increased incidence of cancer and birth defects in Punjab might have been triggered by genetically modified (GM) crops and excessive use of pesticides.
Fagan, who had refused to accept the US government’s $ 1.6 million research grant to protest against the pushing of GM crops into the fields without sufficient research was here for five days, visiting rural areas of the Malwa belt to study the impact of such crops.
He said certain GM crops were found to have 12 to 14 per cent less of cancer-fighting isoflavones identified by the US department of agriculture. Umendra Dutt, executive director, Kheti Virasat Mission, who has raised voice against multi-nationals dumping such hazardous technologies in developing countries, accompanied Fagan during his tour to the fields.
Fagan said the GM crops could be highly disruptive for the ecosystem, leading to the loss of biodiversity and disruption of the food chain, resulting in long-term harm to the environment, economy and food security. This also resulted in soil pollution and increased incidence of cancer, birth defects and other diseases.
He said scientists as well as agriculturists in the US and some other countries had expressed serious concern about genetically engineered crops as bio-technological agriculture caused adverse effects on health. The mealy worm had come due to Bt cotton. Farmers across the US had resisted using genetically engineered seeds, but in India genetically engineered seeds were being used without assessing its impact.
Fagan said instead of following other countries blindly by introducing the GM crops, the Indian government should keep in mind that Western multinationals continued to attempt to cut losses by dumping such technologies in developing countries. Scientists have now developed much more effective and safer approaches, such as marker assisted breeding, which uses the most cutting-edge discoveries in modern genetic science to develop new and valuable crop varieties rapidly, economically and safely.
Suseol, a social scientist and wife of John Fagan, said Indian farmers should follow indigenous traditions instead of running after genetically engineered crops. Dutt said the Kheti Virasat Mission was of the firm view that farmers in Punjab should consider the issues related to GM and Bt crops. The Punjab government and agriculture institutions that were promoting these crops should also reconsider their stand.
He urged farmer groups, consumer organisations and health professionals to join hands to stop the commercial release of Bt brinjal.
