Farmers, activists seek transparent public consultation on GM crops as per Supreme Court order

Counterview Desk

Seeking widespread democratic consultative processes, as per the Supreme Court Order on GM crops, the advocacy group GM Free India has issued a letter endorsed by hundreds of citizens to the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, for evolving a national policy on GM crops.

The letter, floated by Sridhar Radhakrishnan (Trivandrum) and Dr Rajinder Chaudhary (Advisor, Kudrati Kheti Abhiyan, Rohtak, Haryana), insists that the 2-judge Bench order of the Supreme Court on 23rd July 2024 should be implemented in letter and spirit, as it is a matter that "affects all citizens of the country."

Text:

This is with regard to the Supreme Court’s direction to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to evolve a national policy on GM crops through consultative processes with all stakeholders. We, as citizens of India as well as representatives of farmers’ organisations, environmental groups, consumer organisations, industry and exporters’ associations, scientific experts in different domains of S&T, are writing this letter to you to ensure that the order of the SC be implemented in letter and spirit by widespread and meaningful consultations with all citizens who want to give their inputs into the policy formulation process.

We are reminded of the public consultations organised by Mr Jairam Ramesh, former Environment Minister in the then UPA government in the case of Bt brinjal environmental release for commercial cultivation in India. That deliberative democratic process that was run in the country at that time was historical and unprecedented. Between October 15th 2009 and December 31st 2009, written inputs were obtained, followed by seven in-person consultations during the month of January 2010, culminating in a decision on February 9th 2010. 6,000 citizens registered and participated in the 7 consultations covering different regions of India, and more than 9000 written submissions were presented to Mr Ramesh. The Minister personally sat through and chaired over 25 hours of consultations to understand all concerns, evidence, insights and analyses. Along with him were officials and regulators, as well as various state government representatives in these consultations. The participation was from agriculture and health/medical/nutrition experts, scientists from the fields of biotechnology and molecular biology, farmers, farmer leaders, consumer rights activists, environmentalists and ecologists, social activists, industry representatives, exporters, practitioners of Indian Systems of Medicine, people representing other agri-allied livelihoods etc. Mr Jairam Ramesh later described what he did as being “responsible to science and responsive to society”, and that is what policy-making in this domain ought to be. Many signatories to this letter participated in those public consultations of 2010.

Against this background, we write to you with the full confidence that you will not fail the citizens of India in their expectations with regard to the implementation of the Supreme Court's Order.

We seek the following things specifically with regard to the consultative processes to be adopted, so as to enable all of us to participate meaningfully.

Jairam Ramesh, former Environment Minister, had organised historical consultation in 2008 on Bt brinjal's environmental release

1. That public consultations should be well publicised in local languages in all prominent local newspapers, visual media and websites and done so well in advance giving at least three weeks’ notice to the public. Giving adequate publicity was ordered by the Hon’ble Court. “Wide and meaningful consultations”, were the terms used elsewhere in the judgement.

2. Such consultations should be held in all states of the country, to allow the in-person participation of all stakeholders including the state government representatives. Some large states like UP might require more regional consultations too within the state. Let the locations represent various kinds of political parties in power in the state government so that no allegation of partisanship emerges later on.

3. Consultations should be open for all citizens to provide their inputs as was the case during the public consultations on Bt brinjal in 2009-2010, and should not be restricted to a select few who are invited.

4. Consultations should ensure that all stakeholders are involved proactively and systematically, including farmers’ organisations, consumer organisations, environmentalists, ecologists, beekeepers, agricultural worker unions, practitioners and experts of Indian Systems of Medicine, organic/natural farming associations and practitioners, organic farming enterprises, exporters and traders etc.

5. Consultations should include local language inputs for the policy formulation.

6. Consultations should be video-recorded and archived in the public domain.

7. Meaningful public consultation processes should also include a mechanism for receiving feedback, detailed or otherwise, in writing (email, or on a portal) from the public. All written feedback should be scanned and uploaded on the web sites.

8. To actively reach out to multiple stakeholders and facilitate their participation, the Government of India might consider engaging an organisation like Centre for Environment Education (CEE) as was done during the Bt brinjal consultations. At that time, CEE also compiled all the feedback received into a report that was put out into the public domain by MoEFCC.

We conclude by requesting you once again to be truly participatory and consultative in the policy formulation process, other than drawing from the other detailed processes run by other high-level committees in the past.

---

Click here for signatories

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Green Revolution’s reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides contributing to Punjab's health crisis

By Bharat Dogra, Jagmohan Singh* Punjab was once synonymous with robust health, particularly in its rural areas, where farmers were known for their strength and vitality. However, in recent years, reports from these villages tell a different story, with rising cases of serious health issues, including cancer. What led to this decline? The answer lies largely in the erosion of good nutrition, once a hallmark of Punjabi village life. The health of a population is closely tied to its nutrition, and Punjab's reputation as a provider of high-quality nutrition has suffered greatly. The loss of biodiversity in agriculture has led to a decrease in the variety and quality of crops, resulting in poorer nutrition. Pulses, a key source of protein, have seen a steep decline in cultivation due to the disruption of traditional farming practices by the Green Revolution. This has had a detrimental effect on both soil and human health. Although pulses are still available in the market, they are exp

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog