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7/28/2019 Bt Brinjal Report
1/23
Bt Brinjal- Biological Terrorism orAgro-Biotechnology Invention?
SWAIREETA DUTTA
NITIN ABHISHEK
7/28/2019 Bt Brinjal Report
2/23
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
At the outset, we would like to express our deep sense of gratitude to Natural ResourceManagement Centre, NABARD Mrs. T.S.Raji Gain, General Manager for nominating us to carry
out this research paper.
We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Assistant General Manager of NRMC,
NABARD, Mr. Mrinal Kanti De for giving us all the opportunities for this research study and
sparing his valuable time in exchanging the thoughts.
Our special thanks are due to The National Library Kolkata for allowing us and providing
information for our research study.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our parents for their kindness, inspiration,patience and understanding.
And at last but not at the least we would like to express our thanks to our friends for their
friendly support.
Thanking you,
Nitin Abhishek
Swaireeta Dutta
B.Sc.LLB
School of Law
KIIT University
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INDEX
Serial
Number
Contents Page
Number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Introduction
What is Bt Brinjal?
What is the Controversy About?
What is the Official Response to the Controversy?
Why is the Brinjal Important to India?
What are the known Features of the Brinjal Crop in India?
Genetically Modified Crops and the Bt Brinjal
How Plants are Genetically Modified?
What is the History of Development of Bt Brinjal in India?
Arguments For And Against the Release of Bt Brinjal in India?
Is Bt Brinjal A Threat?
Bt Toxins Unsafe
Collective No to GMO
Bt Brinjal has Enormous Potential to Benefit Farmers and Consumers
Brinjal And Beyond
Decision Rendered by MoeF
Conclusion
Bibliography
1
2
2
2
3
4
5
7
8
10
12
13
13
14
16
17
19
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INTRODUCTION
The survey is based upon the invention of Bt Brinjal. The agro-biotechnology product was
introduced into the public domain to have a disease resistant product. The scientists claim it to be
an invention for the welfare of the farmers and people whereas strict opposition was given by the
general people. The positive and negative aspects of it have been dealt in this survey.
The objective of the survey is to bring forth the prospects of agro-biotechnology product and to
present the view of the common people. The controversy regarding Bt Brinjal has been in thepublic domain since it was introduced. The future prospect of agro-biotechnology product has
also been dealt. The initiatives taken by the Government to arrive at a common conclusion has
also been discussed.
The survey was carried out by referring to books and journals. Valuable information regarding
the survey was gathered by referring to different websites. Important advice was also given by
NABARD administrators.
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WHAT IS Bt BRINJAL?
Bt Brinjal is a transgenic brinjal created by inserting a gene cry1Ac from the soil bacteriumBacillus thuringiensis into brinjal. This is said to give the brinjal plant resistance against
lepidopteran insects like the brinjal fruit and shoot borerLeucinodes orbonalis and fruit borer
Helicoverpa armigera.1
WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT?
Bt Brinjal has generated much debate in India. The promoters say that Bt Brinjal will be
beneficial to small farmers because it is insect resistant, increases yields, is more cost-effective
and will have minimal environmental impact. On the other hand, concerns about Bt Brinjal relate
to its possible adverse impact on human health and bio-safety, livelihoods and biodiversity.
WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO THE CONTROVERSY?
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoeF) has a statutory body called the GeneticEngineering Approval Committee (GEAC) which has recommended the environmentalrelease of Bt Brinjal in India based on the recommendations of the Review Committee on
Genetic Manipulation (RCGM), a statutory body and two expert committees constituted by the
GEAC between 2006 and 2009. However the Minister of State (I/C) for Environment andForests, responding to strong views raised both for and against the introduction of the Bt Brinjal,
has called for public consultations across the country before taking a final decision on this issue .
1Available at http://www.biotechnologyonline.gov.au/topitems/glossary.html last visited on 04/06/2011
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WHY IS THE BRINJAL IMPORTANT TO INDIA?
The brinjal Solanum melongena is said to have originated in India
and is known to have been cultivated for over 4000 years. Second
only to the potato in terms of the total quantity produced,the brinjal continues to be an important domestic crop cultivated
across the country accounting for 9% of total vegetable productionand covering 8.14% of the land under vegetable cultivation. There
are approximately 2500 varieties of brinjal in India of various
shapes extending from oval or egg-shaped to long or clubshapedand colours ranging from white, yellow, green and purple to nearly black. Many popular
commercial varieties of brinjal available today are derivatives of older varieties from India and
China. The brinjal is low in calories and fats and contains mostly water, some protein, fibre and
carbohydrates. It is also an excellent source of minerals and vitamins and is rich in water solublesugars and amide proteins among other nutrients. The brinjal is a popular component of the
Indian diet across the country. It is an important ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine and is ofspecial value in the treatment of diabetes and liver problems. The brinjal is known to be
consumed both cooked and raw. Some of the most well-known brinjal dishes in India include thebegun bhaja of Eastern India, the gutti vankaya kura of Andhra Pradesh, the katharikai
kozhambu of Tamil Nadu, upperi in Kerala, vangi bath in Karnataka, wangyacha bharit in
Maharashtra, olo, bharatu in Gujarat and baingan jhonga in Bihar. Folk songs in different partsof the country such as Guthi vankya kooroyi baava in Andhra Pradesh, Konkani songs in
Maharashtra, Jaina in Karnataka, Bihu folk songs in Assam often allude to the brinjal.2
The role of brinjal in religious rituals is best exemplified by one of the traditional varieties inUdupi District of Karnataka called the Mattu Gulla. This particular variety has been cultivated in
the region for at least 500 years and is used as an offering to the main deity of the region at theSode Matha temple.
2Series of Crop Specific Biology Documents, Biology of Brinjal, available at http://
dbtbiosafety.nic.in/guidelines/brinjal.pdf last visited on 04/06/2011
Kingdom : Plantae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass : Asteridae
Order : Solanales
Family : Solanaceae
Genus : Solanum
Species : melongena
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WHAT ARE THE KNOWN FEATURES OF THE BRINJAL CROP IN
INDIA?
The brinjal is usually self-pollinated. However, it has been reported that the extent of cross-
pollination can range from 2% to as high as 48%. It is thus classified as a cross-pollinated crop.While the biological structure of the anthers favours self pollination, the stigma projects beyond
the anthers, thus providing ample opportunity for cross-pollination. The genotype, location, and
insect activity further determine the actual rates of natural cross-pollination. Pests affecting thebrinjal crop include the brinjal fruit and shoot borer, the brinjal stem borer, the mealy bug, lace
wing bug, leaf hopper, leaf rollers, red spider mite, leaf-eating beetle, jassids, aphids, white fly
and root knot nematodes. Amongst these the brinjal fruit and shoot borer is the greatest threatand can cause a major loss in the marketable yield.
The brinjal crop is typically grown in small plots or as inter crop. The major brinjal producing
states in India are West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradeshand Andhra Pradesh. Depending on the variety and the season, the average yield of brinjal varies
from 15 to 30 tonnes per hectare. Many of the hybrid varieties have shown a potential yield of
upto 50 tonnes/ha. The brinjal is generally considered a high value crop yielding high net
benefits for the farmer. Studies have shown an input-output ratio of 1: 2.01. The total area underbrinjal cultivation in 2006 according to the National Horticulture Board was 0.55 million
hectares, with a total production of 9.13 million tonnes. In 2007-08, India exported 338 tonnes of
brinjal worth Rs 1.92 crores. The United Kingdom is the largest importer (258.84 tonnes worthRs 1.38 crores) followed by countries like Saudi Arabia, France and Germany.
3
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS AND THE Bt BRINJAL
3Supra n1
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What is Genetic Engineering?
It is a technique involving transfer of a selected piece of genetic material capable of performing
new functions from one organism to another. Genetic Modification (GM), Genetic Manipulation
and Genetic Engineering (GE) all refer to the same thing. It is also known as recombinant DNAtechnology.
4
What are Genetically Modified (GM) crops?
A genetically modified (GM) crop is a plant that has been altered by an external process which
alters the genetic make-up of the cells. The modification is accomplished by the insertion of a
gene from a different species through genetic engineering. The process of traditional breedinginvolves finding individual plants with favorable characteristics and crossing them with each
Other. The final plant variety or breed of plant will have the desired traits inherited from its
ancestors along with the associated genes for those traits. GM technology is used because it can
change the genes of an organism in a way not possible through traditional breeding technology.Consequently only GM can engineer totally new plant varieties with traits that range from the
ability to survive adverse environmental conditions and pest attacks to a longer shelf life and
enhanced nutritional value.
What is the history of GM crops in India?
In the 1980s, the Indian government took proactive steps to build up the country's R&D
capacities in biotechnology through setting up the Department of Biotechnology [DBT].
Recognizing the potential risks in the indiscriminate use of modern biotechnology in healthcare,
agriculture, environment and process industries, the Ministry of Environment and Forests
(MoEF), Government of India notified the rules 1989 of the Environment Protection Act(EPA) 1986 to regulate products derived from modern biotechnology. The belief that agro-
biotechnology tools like Genetic Engineering could help increase agricultural production in acountry where agriculture is the mainstay for the majority of its population has strongly driven
government funding and promotion of Genetic Engineering and GM crops. GeneticallyModified Organisms (GMOs) were first put on the global market in the early 1990s. Over the
past two decades the development of biotechnology tools like Genetic Engineering and MarkerAssisted Breeding have opened up new possibilities in increasing agricultural production. The
new techniques for understanding and modifying the genetics of living organisms have led to
large investments in agro-biotechnology research and development.
While Bt cotton is the only transgenic crop which is being commercially cultivated in thecountry, according to currently available information, 12 crops (11 of which are food crops) are
under different stages of development.5
4Available at http://www.indiagminfo.org last visited on 05/06/2011
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The focus of GM research in India is to develop crops that can withstand6:-
Biotic stress: Pest and disease resistance crops and management of weeds
Abiotic stress: Crops tolerant to flood, drought and salinity
Product improvement
6Supra n5
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HOW PLANTS ARE GENETICALLY MODIFIED?
Genetic modification involving the copying and transfer of genes from other organism to a plant
is possible because of the presence of a molecule called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in every
cell of all the organisms. Genes are discreet segments of DNA that encode a set of instructions in
the cell and contain all the information concerning the form and functions of all living cells thatgive characteristics to an organism including plants. The complete set of genes in any plant is
called the plant genome. All the cells in a plant carry an identical and complete genome, which
means every cell contains at least one copy of every gene, although it may not be active. Byswitching different combinations of genes on or off cells develop into different types e.g. leaf,
root and flower cells in plants.7
The first step is to identify a particular characteristic from any organism (plant, animal ormicroorganism) and find out which gene or genes in the organism are responsible for producing
that characteristic. Once a gene has been isolated, a gene construct is prepared consisting of a
promoter sequence, a termination sequence and a marker gene for successful integration and
expression in the plant genome. The next step is the plant transformation i.e. uptake andestablishment of introduced DNA. There are two main methods for transformation of plants i.e.
theAgrobacterium mediated method and the gene gun method.
There are a number of ways through which genetic modifications of plants are accomplished.
Essentially, the process has five main steps:
Isolation of the genes of interest
Insertion of the genes into a transfer vector
Transfer of the vector to the organism to be modified
Transformation of the cells of the organism
Selection of the genetically modified organism (GMO) from those that have been
successfully modified8
Following the gene insertion process, plant tissues are transferred to a selective mediumcontaining an antibiotic or herbicide, depending on which selectable marker was used. Only
plants expressing the selectable marker gene will survive and it is assumed that these plants will
also possess the transgene of interest. Thus, subsequent steps in the process use these survivingplants. To obtain whole plants from transgenic tissues such as immature embryos, they are grown
under controlled environmental conditions in a series of media containing nutrients and
hormones by tissue culture. Once whole plants are generated and they produce seeds, evaluation
of the progeny begins. To verify whether the inserted gene has been stably incorporated withoutdetrimental effects to other plant functions, product quality, or the intended agro ecosystem,
initial evaluation includes attention to activity of the introduced gene, stable inheritance of thegene and unintended effects on plant growth, yield, and quality. The plant is then crossed withimproved varieties of the crop because only a few varieties of a given crop can be efficiently
transformed, and these generally do not possess all the producer and consumer qualities required
of modern cultivars. The initial cross with the improved variety must be followed by several
7Available at www.csaindia.org/downloads/GE/bt_brinjal_briefing_paper.pdf last visited on 06/06/2011
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cycles of repeated crosses to the improved parent, a process known as backcrossing. The goal is
to recover as much of the improved parent's genome as possible, with the addition of the
transgene from the transformed parent. The next step in the process is multi-location and multi-year evaluation trials in greenhouse and field environments to test the effects of the transgene
and overall performance. This phase also includes evaluation of environmental effects and food
safety
9
.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF Bt BRINJAL IN
INDIA?
Chronology of the development and approval of Bt Brinjal
2000 Transformation and greenhouse breeding for integration ofcry1Ac gene intobrinjal hybrids and seed purification.
2001-2002 Preliminary greenhouse evaluation to study growth, development and efficacyof Bt brinjal.
2002-2004 Confined field trials to study pollen flow, germination, aggressiveness andweediness, biochemical, toxicity and allergenicity studies and backcrossing
into the regular breeding programme.
2004 RCGM approves conducting multi-location research trials of seven Bt brinjal
hybrids.
2005 Through a MoU under the aegis of Agribiotechnology Support Programme II
(ABSP II) of USAID Mahyco shares the technology with TNAU, DAU and
IIVR to develop open pollinated varities of Bt Brinjal. Back crossing andintegration of EE1 into 4 varities of TNAU, Coimbatore and 6 varities of
UAS, Dharwad is done.
2004-2005 Biosafety data on the effects of Bt brinjal on soil micro-flora, efficacy against
fruit-shoot borer, pollen flow, germination, aggressiveness and weediness;toxicity and allergenicity studies, chemical composition etc submitted to theReview Committee on Genetic Modification (RCGM). RCGM recommends
large scale trials to the GEAC.
2006 Mahyco submits bio-safety data to Genetic Engineering Approval Committee
(GEAC) and seeks permission for large scale trials.
GEAC posts the biosafety data on Bt brinjal on GEAC website
GEAC constitutes a sub committee to look into the concerns raised bycivil society.
Supreme Court stops ongoing field trials of GM crops due to a PILfiled by civil society representatives.
2007 The subcommittee submits its report, recommends that 7 more studies on bio-
safety be repeated for reconfirmation of data generated during confined multi-
location trials but gives a green signal for large scale trials.
Supreme Court lifts ban on GM crop field trials subject to conditionssuch as isolation distance etc.
9Supra n5
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GEAC approves large scale trial.
As per GEAC direction, Indian Institute of Vegetable Research [IIVR]takes up the responsibility of large scale trails of Mahyco's Bt Brinjaltrials at 10 research institutions across the country in 2007 and 11 in
2008 .
2009 January- IIVR submits the results of the large scale trails. Due to concernsraised by several stakeholders including some national and international
experts, GEAC constitutes a 2nd
sub-committee [Expert committee 2 or EC2]to look into adequacy of biosafety data generated as well as the concerns
raised by all stake holders.
2009 Oct 14t
The Subcommittee submits its report based on which GEAC approves the
environmental release of Bt Brinjal containing the event EE1.
2009 Oct 15t
Responding to strong views expressed both for and against the release of the
Bt Brinjal, the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/C) (to whom
the GEAC reports) announces a nationwide consultation in January andFebruary of 2010 pending a final decision on this issue.
10
10Available at www.mahyco.com last visited on 06/06/2011
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WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE
RELEASE OF Bt BRINJAL IN INDIA?
The development of Bt brinjal and the regulation process so far have caused a raging debate inthe country on the relevance and need for a Bt brinjal. This debate has revolved and evolved
around issues of its safety to human health, environment, farmers' seed rights, consumer choiceetc. Industry promoters as well as public and private sector scientists consider Bt Brinjal a
breakthrough in agricultural research and development in India. On the other hand opponents
including scientists, civil society groups, farmers unions and even some political parties arguethat the risks far exceed the benefits.
11
Arguments made in favour of Bt
brinjal
Arguments made against Bt brinjal
Brinjal cultivation involves usage of hugeamounts of pesticide. 60% of plant protectioncost is for controlling fruit and shoot borer.
Effective non-pesticide pest management andIntegrated Pest Management exist and is beingpracticed by farmers.
Small and marginal farmers use 25-80 sprays
of pesticides in Brinjal cultivation
The question of internal destruction of pests is
dangerous to the health of the consumer. Theintegrated pest management systems, in
combination with good farming practices, are
the only healthy solution to good crops. A
healthy farm ecosystem is the key to pestmanagement. This includes selection of good
seeds, appropriate irrigation system and
improving soil qualityThere is no threat to wild brinjal germplasm as
brinjal S. melongena, the cultivated variety,
does not cross naturally with any of the wild
relatives to produce fertile offspring
India is a centre of origin and diversity of
brinjal which has been cultivated here for over
4000 years. There are about 2000 varieties
grown across India.
Bt brinjal does not exhibit any different
agronomic or morphological traits compared to
non-Bt brinjal that may give it a competitive
advantage over other species in the ecosystem.
The transgene transfer to local and hybrid
varieties of brinjal will effectively destroy our
brinjal diversity. As a general rule GM crops
should not be cultivated in the center of originas it could lead to the loss of original varieties
by transgenic cross pollination.
Bt brinjal has been found to be safe for humanconsumption and safe for the environment.
Inadequacy of tests :No third party orindependent tests have been conducted so far
on the Bt impact on human health
Human health concerns due to pesticide use
can be reduced with this transgenic brinjal andits in-built resistance to pests.
The longest study has been a 90 day sub-
chronic test on a healthy adult rat. This doesnot address the possible health impact on
11Available at http://www.indiagminfo.org last visited on 06/06/2011
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humans of Bt brinjal as brinjal is a regularly
eaten vegetable
Farmers will be able to continue to save and re-
use their seeds for the hybrids varieties.
Majority of the farmers in India are small and
marginal farmers, so the possibility formaintaining isolation distances is inexistent.
Mahyco, the developer of the technology, says
they have shared it with three Indian publicsector research institutions, Indian Institute of
Vegetable Research, Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University and Dharwad AgriculturalUniversity, to create Open Pollinated Varieties
(OPVs) which would help the small and
marginal farmers benefit from the technology
at a low price.
While Mahyco shared the truncated gene
cry1Ac construct they developed with thepublic sector research institutions, there are
conditions in the MoU stopping these
institutions from developing their own hybridsor having a free hand in marketing of the
OPVs.12
12Supra n12
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/the_pros_and_cons_of_bt_brinjal.php7/28/2019 Bt Brinjal Report
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Against Bt Brinjal-----
IS Bt BRINJAL A THREAT?
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BRINJAL AND BEYOND
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committees recommendation that Bt brinjal be
commercialized is a significant marker in the countrys slow and somewhat hesitant embrace of
agro-biotechnology. The nod has come a full seven years after approval for the countrys first
transgenic cropBt cotton. But Bt brinjal is the countrys first approved genetically modified(GM) food crop and the decision of the GEAC, the high-level committee under the UnionMinistry of Environment and Forests, may be read as an affirmation of a key principle. It is
that transgenic seeds will be approved for commercialization as long as they adhere to the biosafety and other requirements demanded by the regulatory process. This may well spur the
process for clearance of other transgenic food crops at different stages of the regulatory and
approval process. It is imperative that Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam
Ramesh, who says he will study the GEACs recommendation in depth before giving a fin alstamp of approval, bases his decision solely on the body of scientific data, culled from Bt brinjal
trials. He should ignore the huge pressure from organizations that have no time for the scientific
evidence while claiming to speak for the environment and the public. It is not just the organic
movement but also the pesticide industry lobby that is viscerally opposed to Bt crops, whichacquire a pest-resistant character with the introduction of a gene derived from a common soil
bacterium ( bacillus thuringiensis).17
Introduced commercially in the United States in the mid-1990s, genetically modified crops have
expanded substantially in recent years. An estimated 125 million hectares were under such coverin 2008 in 25 countries, including China, Brazil, Egypt, and Australia. Even in GM-phobic
Europe, seven countries, including Germany and Portugal, grow genetically modified maize
commercially. It is nobodys case that the massive spread of agro-biotechnology is proof of its
safety. Indias regulatory process must continue to put transgenic plants through a battery ofrigorous tests for toxicity, allergenicity, bio safety, agronomic worth, and so forth before
recommending commercial release. It is also important that the country addresses issues such aslabeling GM products through an independent regulatory process that commands publicconfidence. Legislation must be speedily introduced to set up a National Biotechnology
Regulatory Authority, as recommended in 2004 by a task force led by eminent agricultural
scientist M.S. Swaminathan. In a country where agricultural productivity and food security arevital issues, agro-biotechnology holds great promise. We need to regulate its application, not
allow it to be strangled by misconceived or motivated campaigns.18
17Available at www.thehindu.com last visited on 08/06/2011
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DECISION RENDERED BY MoeF
Bt brinjal will not make it to your dinner table for now. The Environment Ministry announced its
decision to impose a moratorium on the release of the transgenic brinjal hybrid developed by
Mahyco, a subsidiary of global seed giant Monsanto.
The moratorium will last till such time independent scientific studies establish, to the
satisfaction of both the public and professionals, the safety of the product from the point of
view of its long-term impact on human health and environment, including the rich genetic
wealth existing in brinjal in our country, said Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.19
Public consultations
The Ministers decision comes after a month of public consultations in seven cities, which wereattended by approximately 8,000 people. They were organized after widespread protests against
the Genetic Engineering Approval Committees (GEAC) recommendation of approval of Btbrinjal in October 2009.
Mr. Ramesh attributed the decision to several factors:
the lack of clear consensus among the scientific community
opposition from 10 State governments, especially from the major brinjal-producing States
questions raised about the safety and testing process
the lack of an independent biotechnology regulatory authority
negative public sentiment and fears among consumers and the lack of a global precedent
My decision is both responsible to science and responsive to society, he said adding he didnot come under pressure from any quarter in arriving at the decision.
Fresh studies
Mr. Ramesh said the moratorium period would be used to commission fresh scientific studies
and reform the testing process. If you need long term toxicity tests, then you must do it, no
matter how long it take there is no hurry. There is no overriding urgency or food security
argument for Bt brinjal, he said. Our objective is to restore public confidence and trust in
the Bt brinjal product. If it cannot be done, so be it . The moratorium period should also be
used to operationalise an independent regulatory authority and hold a parliamentary debate on
private investment in agricultural biotechnology. I dont believe India should be dependenton the private sector seed industry, said Mr. Ramesh. I believe seeds are as strategic toIndia as space and nuclear issues.
20
19Available at www.thehindu.com last visited on 08/06/2011
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CONCLUSION
The dispute over Bt Brinjal still continues and a proper decision has not yet been reached neither
by the Ministry Of Environment And Forests nor by the general public and scientists. The
invention of Bt Brinjal is a work of research and biotechnology. With the recent development inscience and technology Bt Brinjal was introduced into the public domain to benefit them.
The invention was introduced to have a brinjal plant resistance against lepidopteran insects andto have better yield through which the farmers of India would benefit. The transgenic brinjal
hybrid is developed by Mahyco, a subsidiary of global seed giant Monsanto. The key
argument used by those who support BT brinjal is that it will boost yields while reducing
dependence on pesticides. On average, a brinjal crop undergoes between 50-80 rounds ofpesticide spraying.
The invention rather being accepted was hugely criticized by the general public, NGOs and
Government. Large scale protests were held all throughout India against it. Consumption of BtBrinjal would affect arguing that the genes were toxic and would affect the health of the
consumers. Several studies on Bt crops in particular and GM crops in general show that there aremany potential health hazards in foods bio-engineered in this manner. GM-fed animals in various
studies have shown that there are problems with growth, organ development and damage,
immune responsiveness and so on.
The debate still continues whether Bt Brinjal should be used for human consumption or not. The
biotechnology techniques that are introduced into agricultural products for the benefit of
common people still need to be answered and dealt properly. The decision rendered by Union
Minister of State for Environment And Forests Jairam Ramesh, to put a suspension on Bt
Brinjal until proper investigation is done is justified as public safety is more important.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. http://www.biotechnologyonline.gov.au/topitems/glossary.html
2. Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (2006). Briefing Paper on Bt Brinjal. Centre for Sustainable
Agriculture, Secunderabad, www.csaindia.org/downloads/GE/bt_brinjal_briefing_paper.pdf
3. Information on GM crops/foods and related issues in India. Accessed at
http://www.indiagminfo.org
4. Kapoor, L., D (1990). Handbook of ayurvedic medicinal plants. CRC Press LCC, Florida,
USA.
5. Kavitha, K and G. V. Ramanjaneyulu (2008). Genetic Engineering in Indian Agriculture: An
Introductory Handbook (For private circulation only). Centre for Sustainable Agriculture,
Secunderabad.
6. Report of the Expert Committee (EC-II) on Bt Brinjal Event EE- 1.: (2009) Developed by:
M/s Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Ltd. (Mahyco), Mumbai, University of AgriculturalSciences (UAS), Dharwad and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore.
Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government
of India, New Delhi
7. http://moef.nic.in/downloads/publicinformation
8. Sadashivappa, P and M. Qaim, (2009). Bt Cotton in India: Development of Benefits and theRole of Government Seed Price Interventions. Agro BioForum, 12(2): 172-183.
9. Shukla, V and L.B. Naik (1993). Agro-techniques of solanaceous vegetables, In Advances in
Horticulture', Vol. 5, Vegetable Crops, Part 1 (edited by K. L. Chadha and G. Kalloo). MalhotraPublishing House, New Delhi, p. 365 (sic).
10. Series of Crop Specific Biology Documents, Biology of Brinjal.
11. http://dbtbiosafety.nic.in/guidelines/brinjal.pdf