SAGE opposes Biotech Regulatory Authority Bill

BANGALORE: With the recent development of many corporate houses and NGO groups supporting genetically modified crops, the Southern Action on Genetic Engineering (SAGE), a forum fighting against the introduction of Genetically Modified (GM) or genetically engineered food crops in India, has urged the government to strongly oppose the Biotechnology  Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI).“The recent statement from a group of pro-GM, pro-corporate lobbyist asking the government to withdraw the moratorium on BT Brinjal and permit trials is a sure sign of increasing power of corporate lobbyist to disrupt and overturn democratic decisions,” Dr A N Yellapa Reddy, environmentalist and former Secretary, Department of Forests and Environment, told reporters on Tuesday.The moratorium on BT Brinjal was imposed in March 2010. There has been at least three separate conventions organised in the city in the last two weeks by the pro-GM group of scientist associations and universities requesting to lift the  moratorium.“BRAI Bill is an attempt to clandestinely introduce GM crops in agriculture, overturning all the regulatory mechanism. BRAI is a coup to legitimise GM crops in agriculture,” said Suresha K P, Director,  Green Foundation.