The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to prohibit any environmental release, including field trials, of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
In a letter to Union Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, Agriculture Minister Ramkrishna Kusmaria has strongly stated that due to insufficient research on their safety and impact on human beings and the environment, the State government has decided to ban field trials and release of GM crops in the State unless there “is clear evidence of [their] safety, proven beyond doubt.”
With this, Madhya Pradesh has become the second State, after Bihar, to officially oppose GM crops.
Ramesh's call
In March this year, Mr. Ramesh had instructed the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) not to clear any field trials of GMOs without approval of the State government concerned.
Dr. Kusmaria has further written that GM crops led to seed monopolies, violated farmers' rights and were a threat to the country's sovereignty over food and agriculture.
Move after protests
The decision was triggered by State-wide protests over multinational corporation Monsanto's open-air field trials of GM Maize in Jabalpur.
Dr. Kusmaria also found it “shocking” that the trials were approved by the GEAC during the 2010-11 Rabi season.
“The approval was granted without our knowledge. The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to organic farming and we will not allow GM crops in the State,” Dr. Kusmaria told The Hindu .
‘Review GMO policy'
The Minister also advised Mr. Ramesh to reconsider the policy on GMOs at the national level as the view that GM crops were a panacea to hunger was misplaced and there were several other environment-friendly alternatives to tackle the problem of insects and pests affecting crops.
However, while the State government has consistently maintained its anti-GM stand, two small changes that have been incorporated in its revised organic policy for 2010-11 indicate a major shift.
Aware outlook
According to points 6.7 and 6.8 of the policy “an aware outlook in keeping with national and global standards” would be kept towards the promotion and spread of GM crops in the State.
Several open-air field trials approved by the GEAC — of crops such as potato, rice, rubber, sorghum and maize — are being conducted across the country.
