Why in the news?
GM Mustard being approved for environmental release in
India has been challenged in the Supreme Court on concerns of safety, efficacy
and potential environmental & health impacts.
What is GM Mustard?
1. Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH-11) is a
transgenic, Herbicide Tolerant (HT) mustard developed through genetic
modification by the Centre for Genetic Manipulation in Crop Plants, Delhi
University.
2. Alien genes —"barnase",
"barstar" and "bar" - isolated from a soil bacterium called
Bacillus amyloliquefacienshave been
inserted into the DNA of Mustard plant variety.
3. As a result, breeding of
high-yielding commercial mustard hybrids can be obtained due to Herbicide
tolerant and fully fertile robust pollination control system in the GM Mustard.
Benefits:
1. Helps produce new high yielding
disease and pest resistant hybrids of Mustard crop
2. It is a self-pollinating plant and
more advantageous than current methods of hybridization.
3. Acts as a push factor for enhanced
Research and innovations to reduce
a. Environmental footprints of
agriculture,
b. Develop climate resilient crops
assuring food and nutritional security.
4. Can assist in domestic sufficiency of
India’s edible oil requirements, given India spends $12 billion on import of
edible oil.
Concerns / Debatable aspects:
1. GM mustard being tolerant to
Herbicide glufosinate, its ability to withstand toxic chemicals sprayed on the
plant can impact the health of the people consuming it.
2. Environmentally unsustainable and unsuited to
Indian agricultural conditions.
3. As per RTI query response: No independent health expert participated in
GM mustard appraisal to scrutinize the effects of GM Mustard on health impacts.
4. Necessity of GM Mustard is itself
questionable because non-GM Mustard hybrids have better yields compared to GM
Mustard.
5. Experience of Bt Cotton - A case for caution
a. Bt crops are costlier than naturally
grown crops due to increased cultivation cost and risk involved, increasing
agricultural distress.
b. It can disrupt/ alter the natural
process of gene flow due to genetic modification.
c. The pest resistance to the toxins
produced by these crops can cause the crop production to decline.
d. Companies has obtained huge profits
through sale of expensive GM seeds.
6. The Technical Expert committee
appointed by the Supreme Court in 2013- findings:
a. Grave deficiencies in the safety
assessment of GM crops.
b. Herbicide Tolerant crops are
completely unsuitable in the Indian context.
c. Warned serious harm to environment,
rural livelihoods and sustainable agriculture.
7. Disregard for law
a. The full biosafety related documents
of GM Mustard have not been placed for public view, despite provisions of RTI
Act as well as approval from GEAC (Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee).
b. This infringes citizen's basic Right
of access to information and Right to Know.
8. Clearance to GM Mustard can pave the
way for release of other HT crops - Cotton, Rice and Maize.
|
Mustard (Brassica juncea) ●
Important oilseed crop of India, grown during the Rabi
season ●
Major Mustard growing states: Rajasthan, Haryana,
Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh. ●
The average mustard yield in India is 1.0-1.3
tonnes/hectare, remaining stagnant for almost two decades. ●
Mustard is predominantly a self-pollinating crop with
flowers having both male and female parts. ●
Cross pollination to achieve full fertility & thus
high yield has been carried out in GM Mustard crop. |
About GM Crops:
What is a GM crop?
1. Genetically modified (GM) crops are planting
whose DNA is modified using genetic engineering techniques.
2. GM crops are also referred to as
genetically engineered (GE) plants, transgenic crops, living modified organisms
(LMOs) or biotech crops.
3. GM crops were first introduced in the
USA in the 1990s. Today, a total of 16 GM crops are cultivated in various
countries out of which corn, soybean, cotton and canola constitute the four
largest acreages.
4. Aim:
○ To introduce a new trait which is not
naturally present in the plant - resistance to certain pests, diseases,
environmental conditions, herbicides etc.
○ To increase nutritional value,
production of pharmaceuticals, biofuels etc.
5. In India, Bt cotton is the only GM
crop, approved for cultivation 2002 occupying more than 90% of cotton area in
the country.
Need for GM Crops:
Regulatory Framework in India:
1. All GMOs including GM crops are
regulated by Rules, 1989 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
2. Rules are implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T), Government of India and State Governments.
3. Regulation of import of germplasm/GMOs/transgenic
plant material for research purposes is covered under Plant Quarantine
(Regulation for import in India) Order, 2003, Ministry of Agriculture.
4. Manufacture, storage, distribution,
sale and import of foods which include GM food is also regulated as per the
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, being implemented by the Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India.
