A slightly boring and technically involved topic, which nonetheless deserves our attention: 1. A Parliamentary Committee has found extensive violations in the way Programme for Apprropriate Technologies in Health (PATH) went about testing Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) was tested in tribal girls in Gujarat and AP. The Committee found that the Drug Comptroller General of India (DCGI), the Department of Health and Indian Council for Medical Research - all three failed spectacularly in performing their mandated roles, resulting in the death of seven girls and potentially many more infections. HPV is believed by some to be responsible for certain types of cancer. 2. The government seems to be in an unseemly haste in pushing ahead with its GM food policy through institutionalizing the Biotech Regulatory Authority of India. This push seems to be the result of extensive arm-twisting by US senators lobbied by the likes of Monsanto. Over four lakh citizens have demanded the withdrawal of this Bill, which is practically a Monsanto Protection Act. It might result in pushing various covert experiments and Frankenfoods into our system. Already the incidence of IBS and gluten intolerance is rising in North America, which is very closely correlated with their extensive use of strains of GM wheat. While we do acknowledge that pathbreking technology is the way forward, we must reiterate our stand that such technological advancement must NOT be allowed if it is pushed in a non-transparent way that abets monopoly and can potentially lead to a complete breakdown of domestic agriculture and loss of biodiversity.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Sep 2013 07:09:22 +0000
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