By Bharat Dogra* During the last two decades the experiences of over 7 million cotton growing farmers in India, the world’s highest producer of cotton, has changed drastically as a diversity of cotton varieties have been replaced to the extent of perhaps over 90 per cent by genetically engineered Bt cotton varieties like Bollgard I and Bollgard II. This change was widely promoted by very influential and resourceful private companies as varieties which will be less susceptible to pests, particularly the pink bollworm (PBW), reduce pesticide use and increase yields, a win-win situation of increasing earnings and reducing costs. However, the actual experience of farmers has been very different from this. This is a good time to look at the real situation as the debate over genetically engineered or genetically modified (GM) crops has again intensified recently and in this debate the question of Bt cotton often crops up as this was the first GM crop introduced in India.
Counterview Desk In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as many as 111 medical professionals , most of them senior doctors, has expressed concern with regard to human health implications of the genetically modified (GM) herbicide tolerant (HT) mustard that got approved by Government of India, with indications that it has already been planted in at least six locations. Floated by Dr Rupal M Dalal, a Mumbai-based pediatrician, the letter, even as “welcoming” Modi’s “unprecedented push” towards non-chemical farming in the country for the benefit of environment, nature, consumers and farmers, it said, “HT GM mustard will push the country in the opposite direction.” “A herbicide tolerant crop will put an end to diversity-based cropping, which is important not just for soil health but human health and expose consumers and farmers to a toxic herbicide with serious long term health implications”, it added. The letter seeks the Prime Minister’s urgent intervention to not only withdraw th