Monday 29 April 2013

Ban on bio-safety trials is not a good policy

There is lack of bio-safety studies on effects of genetically modified seeds and organisms. So government has said that for ten years no trials should be done in the field of biotechnology in India. There should be research and even if acceptable gene is found then we should introduce it. A ten year ban is going to stop all benefits which we would get from "good genes" which can be made in crops and in other living things. Right now there is no "patent" policy on biological organisms or plant genes.Just by closing our eyes to development in biotechnology is not going to make it disappear.Genetically engineered seeds or animals can enter India without our knowledge and we have no research on them to tackle that situation. We have no regulatory framework for dealing with biotechnology related projects, services and marketing of the products.Pre-cautionary outlook and issuing a ban will not help us understand the gaps and uncertainties in dealing with bio-technically engineered product.We need not think of bio engineering as a threat to our biodiversity. It may/may not help us preserve our biodiversity. The cheetah, pink headed duck or the Himalayan mountain quail can be brought back.For instance the gene of the Indian tiger can be replicated and its extinction can be prevented. We may be able to replicate the "oldest" species of the original rice crops of India which otherwise would be lost for ever. We may be able to make a crop which is resistant to pesticide and chemicals.We can make a plant which will convert chemicals in contaminated lands into biomass which would be beneficial soil. Possibilities are endless. We cannot ban it before we find the real relevance. Australian scientist have made a new genetically modified banana(with extra vitamins and iron) which they want to share with Indian scientists. Can they legally?There are different aspects in several fields. The technical, economic legal, ethical and social implications of the ban on all bio tech research has to be discussed again.Ostrich like attitude by banning all trials is not good for our future.

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