GM Mustard passes the test of safety; the hurdle of public acceptance remains
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NEW DELHI: A technical body has deemed the GM Mustard safe which may now pave its way onto becoming India's first genetically modified (GM) food crop.
Though cleared on safety terms, the path ahead for its introduction in the market is a weary one as it not only awaits political clearance from environment minister and the agriculture minister but also public approval. The new mustard variety took over a decade of research by Delhi scientists involving multiple reviews of crop trials.
By allowing the final trials, PM Modi has proved himself to be a non-skeptical leader when it comes to scientific breakthroughs. Earlier in his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he successfully made the state the leading user of GM cotton. However, Environment Minister Dave, whose ministry is in charge of this project, said, "You must have different parameters for what you eat and what you only come in contact with, like cotton."
All this is happening when the U.S. seed maker Monsanto is on the verge of quitting the GM Cotton market, which it dominates, due to the strict regulations imposed by the government.
Amidst all the protest from various NGOs, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has called for public opinion on its website. The comments can also be emailed to mustard.mef@gov.in till October 5, 2016.
