Over 200 prominent concerned citizens of Mysore overwhelmingly said No to Bt Brinjal, called for a GE-free Karnataka and demanded a nationwide referendum on permitting the introduction of GE crops pending which imposition of a moratorium on GE crops in the country.
Through a declaration called MYSORE DECLARATION ON GENETIC ENGINEERING, FOOD AND FARMING farmers, consumer and environment activists, scientists, academicians, students, national and global experts on genetic engineering termed the claims made by the biotech industry and the safety tests conducted by it as “doubtful in nature” and demanded “a proper, independent and transparent scientific tests for toxicity, allergenicity, environmental impact, pest resistance development and yield levels
The one day State Conference on Genetic Engineering, Food and Farming was held on
Saturday, November 7, 2009 at the Institution of Engineers Hall, Mysore and was co hosted by the Institution of Engineers, Mysore Chapter and the Deccan Development Society of Andhra Pradesh.
Earlier Dr Michel Pimbert, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development, UK – an international expert on food and farming delivered the keynote address and said that the GE foods were neither needed nor wanted. He quoted a number of global experiences on genetically engineered foods which had highlighted their deleterious effects on food and farming systems and pointed to the largest exercise undertaken by 400 world class scientists under the auspices of the World Bank, FAO, and United Nations which resulted in a report called International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development [IAASTD] that called for a new paradigm shift in agricultural research and development. In the light of this major international report, Dr Pimbert called for a complete reassessment of GE technology which was neither needed nor wanted.
Many formal GE scientists including Dr Manjunath, formerly Head of Research, Monsanto, Dr Vageesh Babu of the Indian Horticultural Research Institute and Dr Shekhar Shetty, University of Mysore put forward their arguments on Genetic Engineering. Ms Aruna Rodrigues of Sunray Harvesters, MP, Dr Vijayan, Chair, Kerala State Biodiversity Board and Mr P V Satheesh, Director Deccan Development Society, Hyderabad spoke of the harmful effects of genetic engineering on food and farming.
Dr Vombatkere of the Mysore Grahakara Parishad, Mysore and Mr Babu, Chair, Institute of Engineers, Mysore Chapter also participated in the debate beside Mr U N Ravi Kumar and Mr Satheesh.
At the end of the day long deliberations, the House adopted MYSORE DECLARATION ON GENETIC ENGINEERING, FOOD AND FARMING.