February 2, 2010

Science is the Casualty

I cannot but continue to post on the controversy surrounding Bt brinjal release. It really pains me to see that the so called 'consultations' that the Environment Minister is having across the country, has all ingredients except, Science. These consultations should have been held to share the concerns and thoughts of all stakeholders and have meaningful dialogues, so that everyone can benefit and misconceptions and myths can be cleared. However, Science has been taken out of the Consultations and its one big jamboree with people either 'for' or 'anti' Bt brinjal.

The very purpose of the Consultations have been defeated and there are many more misconceptions in people's minds today than there were before!! Secondly, our Environment Minisiter can also 'not' take the decision based on these Consultations. He has no locus standii to do so. The GEAC is a statutory body and he, at best can give his recommendations based on 'his consultations'. The whole thing has been a big waste of time and he will, at best ask the GEAC to conduct more tests and postpone the commercial release of Bt brinjal.

I would like the people who are against Bt, to also be against many other things, like nuclear energy, irradiation of foods to increase shelf life, GM medicines, all forms of allopathy including paracetemol to anti histamines as they can cause allergies in some people, cellphone usage (as it causes cancer), drinking tea / coffee, consuming milk as the cows and buffaloes are injected with dangerous hormones, travelling by air etc. etc. because, all these are either risky or have been linked to cause health hazards. 

2 comments:

aoldeva said...

When a person is criticized for a misdeed, he has 3 options to answer that criticism.

1) Sorry! What I have done is wrong. Hereafter, I will correct myself.

2) Am I the only person doing this? Why are you not asking others?

3) Who are you to ask me? I will do whatever I wish.

The problem with the Bt. Brinjal is: Since it is a vegetable and directly consumed by the human body, the negative (or whatever be the quality of impact) impact may be more.

Moreover, we do not know what impact it will make to the fertile soil. Even the scientists will not be able to tell it right now.

Scientists also change their voices on and off regarding the impact of various edible items.

Our all other necessities, car, cell phone etc., are artificial, whereas the necessity of food and vegetables is natural as long
as we are in this human (or any other) body.

To make the things worse, for western countries, particularly USA (I don't know whether Bt. Brinjal is the brain-child of
western country / USA), Indians are the test-tube samples.

So, my opinion is that this issue need not be discussed at all and right away, even the thinking of Bt. Brinjal should be banned.

As far as other optional food items are concerned (for example, you once told that coco-cola contains more pesticides and that you had used for cleaning the wash basin.), we can refrain from them.

Devarajan MK

Devi said...

We can agree to disagree on this:-)