Nod to GM maize trials, farmer bodies fume

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 27

The state government has given its nod to a multi-national corporation (MNC) to conduct second-stage field trials of genetically modified (GM) maize in Punjab.

This comes at a time when a controversy around GM crops, especially mustard, is still raging across the country,

The permission has been granted after the state’s “expert committee” on GM crops, headed by Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, has given approval for the trials.

Sources said that the MNC would conduct trials of two transgenic variants – a variety resistant to both herbicide and stem borer and variety resistant only to stem borer. Of these variants, stage first (Biosafety Research Level-I) level trials of stem borer resistant variant have already been conducted by the company. Hence, the company will conduct the BRL-II trial this year.

However, as far as the variety resistant to both herbicide and stem borer is concerned, its trial will be conducted for the first time by the firm. The trials will be conducted in PAU, Ludhiana during 2017 crop season.

In 2010, the SAD-BJP government’s move to conduct GM maize trials was put on hold after opposition by farmer organizations and agri experts.

Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, said, “The committee has approved the trials. The rationale for doing so is that we should not lag behind as far as research is concerned. We should keep ourselves ready with new variants. It is up to the government to decide on the cultivation of such crops,” he added.

The VC maintained that trails for GM maize have been conducted in the recent past.

Dr JS Bains, Director (Agriculture), said, “The government has given no objection certificate for trials. We have sent the case to the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) of the Centre for approval.”

Meanwhile, farmer organisations said they would oppose the move. “Already there is rethinking at the global level on GM crops. They are not only detrimental to human health but tinkering with the natural gene pool will prove disastrous for mankind in future. We had opposed a similar move on maize in 2010 and we will do so again,” Umendra Dutt, Director, Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM) reiterated.