Dr Ramadoss, ban unsafe GE food: Greenpeace.

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Dear all,Its been almost 50 days since we found that there are illegal GE food like Doritos coming into the Indian Market and there is not been any action from the authorities yet..The Health minister, a Physician himself, has raised a lot of attention in the media with his statements on No to tobacco and alchohol in public places and in movies and tv serials. we hope to ask him, GE food is also a threat to the long term public health, please act.This activity also ties up with the meeting scheduled on 25th by the Genetic engineering approval authority, to decide on this issue. we are also invited to present our case for banning this chips Doritos in the country.Press release:Dr Ramadoss, ban unsafe GE food: GreenpeaceNew Delhi, 19 June, 2008: Greenpeace knocked

on the doors of Health Ministrytoday to remind Dr Ramadoss, the Health Minister about the health risks of GMfoods. The activists piled up the illegal GM chips packets in front of theMinistry while unfurling a banner declaring, “Dr Ramadoss, we do not want GEfoodâ€. Two other activists in saris handcuffed themselves to gate number 5 ofNirman Bhavan. They were demanding an immediate action from the Health Ministerto stop the influx of illegal GM food which is becoming a health crisis. Lastmonth, Greenpeace had revealed that Pepsico’s Doritos corn chips that are widelysold in India, contained genetically modified ingredients.The apex body for the regulation of such food products, the Genetic EngineeringApproval Committee’s (GEAC) has been deferring a decision on the matter for wantof trivial details.[1] the representative of the health ministry, was notpresent in this meeting despite

being informed about the issue. .“There is nodoubt that presence of such illegal, genetically modified food products is athreat to public health and safety. It’s been confirmed that Doritos containsMON863 [2] variety of corn which had caused liver and kidney toxicity on rats.Our health minister is known to take strong positions on the long term health ofthe citizens and has been concerned about junk food. We wonder why is he quietabout such a serious issue?†said Rajesh Krishnan, Campaigner, SustainableAgriculture, Greenpeace India.India has a law prohibiting the sale of any genetically modified food productswithout the permission of Genetic Engineering Approval Committee [3]. Greenpeacehad received RTI responses from the Director General of Health services, Director General of Foreign Trade and the Genetic Engineering ApprovalCommittee, the three agencies involved in regulation of import

of GeneticallyModified food in the country, declaring that no permission has been granted forthe import and sale of any Genetically modified Food in India other thanpurified Soya oil.“Issues regarding the safety of GM products, promoted for human consumption,remain a cause for concern and many countries in the world (including the EU)continue to restrict GM from entering their country. It is surprising that whileIndia has in place regulatory mechanisms designed to control and restrict theentry of GM food products, these regulations have been flouted blatantly in thecase of Pepsico’s Doritos corn chips,†said Dr, Amit Sengupta of the JanSwasthya Abhiyan.The Food Safety and Standards Authority, which is not fully functional butsupposed to take over the regulation of such processed foods, is an autonomousbody under the health ministry. Last September, the GEAC has already notifiedthe

transfer of jurisdiction to this authority even before the authority hadbeen functional. It was during this time, products like Doritos had entered themarket without any regulatory control. The GEAC has now extended the time tillSeptember 2008 for the FSSA to become functional. “It is also a well known factthat there are no laboratories notified or testing protocols issued by the GEACin its 19 years of service to the country to stop any dumping of GM food intothe country,†added Rajesh [5]The GEAC in its 86th meeting on the 25th of this month is expected to discussthe details of this illegal GM food. It is hoped that a decision will be takento confiscate and ban this processed food from the market.Greenpeace is demanding that the Health Minister takes an active position on theissue of safety of GM foods and ensure that these products are confiscated fromthe market without any

delay.For further information please contact:Jayashree Nandi- Greenpeace India Communications, +91-9343868011,jnandiJai Krishna. R, Campaigner, Greenpeace, +91 98455 91992,jaikrishna.rNote to Editors:[1], GEAC has communicated to Greenpeace asking the amount of GM corn present inthe samples, while the independent lab based in Germany had confirmed thepresence of corn and soya contaminants at an accuracy of 0.01%.[2] The study on Mon 863 was published in the American journal, Archives ofEnvironmental contamination and toxicology dated May

2007, and is availableonlinehttp://www.springerlink.com/content/02648wu132m07804/?p=d84fa910926d4c7492a585a386b28812 & pi=18[3] Under the Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage ofHazardous Micro Organisms Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells (1989), Rule7 (1) states "No person shall import, export, transport, manufacture, process,use or sell any hazardous micro organisms, genetically engineeredorganisms/substances or cells except with the approval of the GeneticEngineering Approval Committee." Rule 11 states: "Foodstuff, ingredients in foodstuffs and additives including processing and containing or consisting ofgenetically engineered organisms or cells, shall not be produced, sold, importedor used except with the approval of the

Genetic Engineering Approval Committee."[5]. Information from customs officials had confirmed that they are unable totrack GM foods because there is no testing protocols or notified labs providedby the authority.in tune with nature,Jai krishna.RCampaigner- Sustainable AgricultureGreenpeace India"It is now 30 years since I have been confining myself to the treatment ofchronic diseases. During those 30 years I have run against so many histories of littlechildren who had never seen a sick day until they were vaccinated and who, in the severalyears that have followed, have never seen a well day since. I couldn't put my finger onthe disease they have. They just weren't strong. Their resistance was gone. They wereperfectly well before they were vaccinated. They have never been well

since. "---Dr. William Howard Hay

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