Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/cheat-slur-on-gm-experts-3592.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Cheat slur on GM experts | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

Cheat slur on GM experts



India’s six science academies have certified genetically modified brinjal as safe through a report whose largest section is plagiarised from a biotechnology propaganda newsletter, a coalition of non-government organisations has said.

The six science academies have in a report submitted to the Union environment ministry argued that GM brinjal appeared safe but recommended a limited release, calling for post-marketing surveillance for health effects if any.

But a coalition of environmental groups today produced evidence to show that a set of 60 of 101 lines of the report’s section on GM brinjal was a verbatim reproduction of an article written by a GM crop producer and published in a December 2009 issue of a newsletter from the department of biotechnology.

“We are appalled not just at the lack of rigour demonstrated by such esteemed scientific bodies in the country but by the brazen bias exhibited,” the coalition said in a statement.

Such reports “destroy the credibility” of the academies and their scientists, Greenpeace India, the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and another green group, which have long been campaigning against GM crops, said.

Two science academy heads today said they would examine the two documents.The Telegraph that Kumar is himself a member of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, which was one of the six academies that produced the report.

Ramesh had earlier this year imposed a moratorium on the release of GM brinjal that had been approved by India’s apex committee on GM products amid opposition by scientists and environmental groups. But Ramesh had subsequently asked the six science academies to prepare a report on GM crops.

The Indian Academy of Sciences and the academies of medicine, agriculture, and engineering had also approved the report.