Bt-Brinjal in the eyes of the LAW

GROUP NUMBER: MUZAMIL QUADIRASHISH OM BHARAT SUBRAMANIAMARCHANA GUDURANURANJAN KUMAR

What is Genetic Engineering? It is a technique involving transfer of a

selected piece of genetic material capable of performing new functions from one organism to another.

A genetically modified (GM) crop is a plant that has been altered by an external process which alters the genetic make-up of the cells. The modification is accomplished by the insertion of a gene from a different species through genetic engineering. Example bt cotton,bt brinjal etc.

WHAT IS Bt-Brinjal?

Bt Brinjal is a transgenic brinjal created by inserting a gene cry1Ac from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into brinjal.

This is said to give the brinjal plant resistance against lepidopteran insects like the brinjal fruit and shoot borer Leucinodes orbonalis and fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera.

HISTORY

Developed by Monsanto via its Indian subsidiary Mahyco and University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.

 It was approved for commercialization in India in 2009, but after a public outcry the Indian government applied a moratorium on its release.

WHAT IS CONTROVERSY ABOUT?

ARGUMENTS AGAINST: NO tests

conducted Impact on human

health Bio safety

concerns Biodiversity

concerns

ARGUMENTS FOR:

Brinjal cultivation involves intensive use of pesticides

increases yields Cost effective Insect resistant

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 Monsanto's attempts to commercialize on their indigenous knowledge, a practice known as bio piracy.

Quite simply, the biotech giant did not get prior approval to use the naturally occurring breeds for the purposes of genetic modification, and in so doing violated the country's Biological Diversity Act (BDA).

India Stands Up Against Corporate Control of Their Food Supply enacted in 2002.

Contd………………

"American seed giant Monsanto and its Indian collaborator, Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) are to be prosecuted for allegedly 'stealing' indigenous plant material for developing genetically modified brinjal variety known as Bt brinjal.

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), a statutory body set up under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, has decided to initiate legal proceedings against the two companies and their collaborators for using indigenous brinjal germplasm without necessary permission. Taking plant material without any permission and using it for commercial purposes is considered an act of biopiracy."

How to combat bio piracy?

Legal Control over Research on GM Foods 

Establishment of GE Free ZonesEncouragement to Organic and

Ecological Farming Creation of Global and National

Organization

THANK YOU