Anti-GM body claims Monsanto defied norms in GM maize trials

New Delhi: The Coalition for a GM-free India has claimed that GM crop major Monsanto has illegally planted herbicide tolerant maize in its Genetically modified (GM) maize trial, a charge which the US-based agri biotech firm has denied.

According to the anti-GM body, the information was revealed in a response of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to an RTI application.

The coalition also said that GEAC, the apex regulator that gives approval to field trials of GM crops, ignored the violation as the information was obtained through an RTI response from GEAC.

“This agri-business corporation (Monsanto) has been caught violating the law and norms repeatedly. The GEAC has also been caught failing in its duties. GEAC, in spite of violations brought to its notice earlier also, has never taken up any deterrent and penal action against this MNC,” the coalition said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Monsanto has said that it had the approval from the GEAC. “Monsanto’s application, along with protocol for biosafety research level II (BRL-II) trial of Monsanto’s herbicide tolerant, insect resistant GM maize with stacked traits has been duly approved by the GEAC,” a Monsanto spokesperson said.

Additionally, the trial’s protocol has been reviewed and confirmed by DMR (Directorate of Maize Research). The trials have been conducted in accordance with the approved protocol, the spokesperson added.

A member of the anti-GM coalition Kavita Kuruganti, citing the findings of the RTI, said that a scientist from one of the monitoring teams pointed out that planting of the herbicide-tolerant GM maize by Monsanto in its GM-maize trial took place without permission from competent authorities.

“What is more damning is that there is no evidence of any discussion or action by the regulators on this finding. This clearly demonstrates that the regulators are unconcerned about biosafety violations or contamination and are protecting and supporting offenders like Monsanto,” Kuruganti said.

PTI