PM brings hope for scientists over introducing GM food crops in India after safety trials

NEW DELHI: In a remark which may bring smile on the face of thousands of agriculture scientists across the country, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said that the government should not succumb to "unscientific prejudices" against genetically modified (GM) crops.

Giving a strong signal to green activists who have been opposed to the transgenic crops without any scientific backing, Singh said his government remained committed "to promoting the use of these new technologies for agricultural development".

His remarks, came while delivering inaugural speech at the 101st Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Jammu, may send a sense of relief to scientists community in general and agriculture scientists in particular who had developed many transgenic seeds over the years but could not go for field trial due to moratorium on such activities.

The remarks also showed possible change in the stand of government towards genetically modified (GM) crops. The ministry of environment and forest has already indicated that the government is not averse to the idea of allowing field trial to transgenic food crops in the country. The ministry may submit an affidavit in the Supreme Court which could go in favour of agriculture scientists who argued that the safety aspect of the GM crops could not be known unless they are allowed to go for scientific field trials. They also time and again argued the importance of GM food crops for increasing agriculture productivity in the country to achieve larger goal of food security for its population in future.

In the backdrop of such concerns and debate over the use of GM food crops in the country, the Prime Minister on Monday said, ""To ensure food security and to improve land and water productivity, we have to launch a national drive for an ever-green revolution. This will test the ingenuity of our agricultural scientists. Climate-resilient agriculture and modern bio-technological tools hold great promise. Use of bio-technology has great potential to improve yields"".

The PM, however, also insisted on adhering to the safety aspect. He said, ""While safety must be ensured, we should not succumb to unscientific prejudices against Bt crops. Our government remains committed to promoting the use of these new technologies for agricultural development"".

He, at the same time, urged the scientific community to increase communication and engagement with society at large in explaining socially productive applications of technology alternatives and for improving the productivity of small and medium enterprises.

At present, India allows GM seeds in Cotton while there has been moratorium on use of genetically modified seeds in food crops. The matter concerning decision to allow field trials for GM food crops has been pending in the Supreme Court.

The PM, on the occasion of Indian Science Congress, also announced various measures which his government intended to take to improve research and science education in the country.

He said, "I am happy to announce another National Mission on High Performance Computing with an outlay of Rs. 4500 crores. We are also considering establishment of a National Geographical Information System with an outlay of about Rs. 3000 crores. A National Mission on Teaching to enhance the esteem of our teachers is also being launched."

He also announced that India would partner the international scientific community in the establishment of some of the world's major R&D projects.

He said, "In the Gravitational Wave experiment, India intends to host the third detector. A Neutrino-based Observatory is proposed to be established in Tamil Nadu at a cost of about Rs 1450 crores. India is also joining the famous CERN institute as an associate member."

He further said, "We must also seek global leadership in at least some research and development areas. Affordable innovations for human healthcare, sustainable agriculture, clean energy and total solutions for water-related challenges are some areas where Indian science can seek global leadership."

India's toxic milk and plastic cows

A local train passes by cows at a railway station in Mumbai

They hog our streets: inert, gentle and oblivious to honking horns. We feed them, pat them and love them. No book or movie on India can be complete without them somewhere in the background. Riots to massacres, they keep the logic of our politics ticking, even 67 years after Independence.

India has 304 million dairy cows and produces about 17 per cent of global milk. But scratch beneath the hype over the cow and you will find an unpalatable reality: They live and die in deplorable conditions and might be producing toxic milk.

The news spread in the wake of a case hearing on milk contamination in the Supreme Court on January 30.

Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and Vikramajit Sen asked states and Union Territories to take steps to curb impure milk and stipulate harsher punishment, even life imprisonment, if necessary.

The buzz on polluted milk has been doing the rounds for a while.

Milk containers hang from the windows of a passenger train in Ghaziabad.

The first National Survey on Milk Adulteration by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in 2012 revealed an alarming trend: Most urban Indians drink contaminated milk, with 70 per cent samples containing anything from starch to detergents and bleaching agents to fertilizers.

Last year, the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University found traces of a cancer-causing chemical, dioxin, in milk.

How are pollutants getting into milk? What lies at the root of the problem is something the nation has never bothered to 'notice': The condition of the Indian cow.

Since 2000, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has repeatedly reported about thousands of illegal dairies across the country where animals are impregnated repeatedly and forced to produce enormous amounts of milk every day.

Chained by the neck in narrow stalls, unable to move, and often lame as a result, the cows suffer from chronic debilitating diseases due to lack of movement and poor and unhygienic diet.

Most are unlawfully injected with hormone oxytocin to make them give more milk.

Oxytocin keeps their bodies in perpetual condition of labour, with repeated uterine contractions, destroying their reproductive systems and making them bone thin and eventually sterile.

The man-animal interface has largely been taken over by machines: Most cows in India are milked by low-cost milking machines. They may have reduced drudgery for dairy workers but are painful for animals.

The suction machines tend to take more milk out of the cows than what they would yield naturally. And they are often kept on even when udders have become dry, causing acute pain.

Bigger urban dairies tend to be foul-smelling infernos, where the animals stand in feet-deep slush and dung, suffer from skin disease, other infections and TB. Death is a daily affair. But even in death they are useful: the carcasses are sold for beef and leather.

The small dairy owners in cities and big towns send their animals out on the street to fend for themselves. They forage for food in garbage bins or vegetable markets. And what do they eat?

Doctors at a Tamil Nadu vet school report that cows are brought in with gastroenterological problems as a result of swallowing large amounts of plastic waste.

Doctors have witnessed cases where cows had swallowed more than 25 kg of plastic. On an average, every month, 10 per cent of cows brought in are found to have plastic deposits inside their bodies.

When plastic is stuck in a cow's stomach for long, the toxicity can contaminate the milk it produces, report doctors, with plastic residues entering the human food chain.

With garbage and food spilling out either on the road or dustbins in plastic bags, knotted at the mouth, cows eat end up eating food leftovers along with the plastic.

Over time, a huge amount of plastic accumulates inside their stomachs, hard like cement.

Karuna Society for Animals and Nature at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh was the first to report on, what they call, "plastic cows".

In 2010, it took 36 stray animals into its custody. Soon an animal died. The postmortem revealed that the animal's stomach was full of plastic.

The Society has since done umpteen surgeries to remove plastic from inside animals to save their lives. It was on their PIL that the Supreme Court gave anti-plastic directives in 2012.

A girl stands at the doorway of her home, which is also a school, as a cow stops outside in the rain in Kochi in Kerala

Meantime, a movement is gearing up in the West to move away from modern farming practices that leave no room for farm animals to display natural behaviour.

Big animals, like cows, have distinct personalities.

"When you see cows standing in the pasture blandly chewing some dreary bit of grass and staring into the middle distance, you'll never guess what lies beneath that placid exterior," writes photographer Glen Wexler in his 2007 book, Secret Life of Cows.

Organic activist Rosamund Young gives a fascinating insight into that secret world in her 2003 book with the same title: "Cows can love, play games, bond and form strong, life-long friendships. They can sulk, hold grudges, and they have preferences and can be vain."

The secret behind a healthy nation might just be to remember that a happy herd produces better milk.

What you can do

- Don't collect your kitchen refuse in plastic bags

- Don't knot the bags when you put them out for garbage collection

- Protest against open garbage disposal receptacles in your area
- Get together to arrange for door-to-door garbage collection
- Reconsider your food choice: Milk can easily be replaced by soya milk

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/india-toxic-milk-and-plastic-cows/1/341455.html

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு உரிமம் பெற நாளை கடைசி : கால நீட்டிப்பு தருவதில் மத்திய அரசு மவுனம்

உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறையில், வணிகர்கள் உரிமம் பெற மத்திய அரசு விதித்த கெடு, நாளையுடன் முடிகிறது. வணிகர்கள் எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்து வரும் நிலையில், கால நீட்டிப்பு குறித்து, மத்திய அரசு மவுனம் சாதித்து வருகிறது. நுகர்வோருக்கு கிடைக்கும் உணவுப் பொருட்கள், தரமாக கிடைக்கும் வகையில், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணயச் சட்டம் - 2006ஐ, மத்திய அரசு கொண்டு வந்தது. 

விதிமுறைகள் வகுக்கப்பட்டு, 2011ல் சட்டம் அமலுக்கு வந்தது. இதன்படி, ஆண்டுக்கு, 12 லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்குள் வர்த்தகம் செய்வோர், 100 ரூபாய் கட்டணம் செலுத்தி, உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறையில் பதிவுச்சான்று பெற வேண்டும். 

சிறை தண்டனை : அதற்கு மேல் வர்த்தகம் செய்வோர், 2,000 ரூபாய் செலுத்தி, உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும். சான்று, உரிமம் பெறாவிட்டால், 1 லட்சம் ரூபாய் முதல் 15 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரை, அபராதம், சிறை தண்டனை அளிக்கும் வகையில், சட்டம் கடுமையாக உள்ளது. இதற்கு, வணிகர்கள் கடும் எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்ததால் பதிவு, உரிமம் பெற, இரண்டு முறை அவகாசம் தரப்பட்டது. இதன்படி, மத்திய அரசின் ஓராண்டு அவகாசம், நாளை (பிப்.,4) முடிகிறது. அரசின் கணக்குப்படி, தமிழகத்தில், 5.5 லட்சம் வணிகர்கள் உள்ளனர். இதுவரை, 2 லட்சம் பேர் பதிவு செய்துள்ளனர்; 32 ஆயிரம் பேர் உரிமம் பெற்றுள்ளனர். இவர்களிலும், பெரும்பாலானோர் உரிமம், பதிவை புதுப்பிக்காமல் உள்ளனர்.

கால நீடிப்பு : "இந்த திட்டத்தில் காலத்திற்கேற்ப திருத்தம் செய்ய வேண்டும்; அதுவரை, சட்டத்தை அமல்படுத்தக்கூடாது. பதிவு, உரிமம் பெற, மேலும் அவகாசம் தர வேண்டும்' என, வணிகர்கள், மத்திய அரசை வலியுறுத்தி வருகின்றனர். ஆனால், இதுவரை கால நீடிப்பு குறித்து, எந்த அறிவிப்பும் வெளியிடாமல் அரசு மவுனம் சாதித்து வருகிறது. 

இதுகுறித்து, தமிழ்நாடு உணவுப்பொருள் வியாபாரிகள் சங்கத் தலைவர், வேல்சங்கர் கூறுகையில், ""இந்த பரச்னை குறித்து, இரண்டு நாட்களுக்கு முன் பிரதமரையும், மத்திய அமைச்சர் குலாம் நபி ஆசாத்தையும் சந்தித்து பேசினோம். "உங்கள் கோரிக்கை பரிசீலனையில் உள்ளது' என்றனர். அதனால், விரைவில் மத்திய அரசு, வியாபாரிகளின் கோரிக்கை ஏற்று, கால நீட்டிப்பு வழங்கும் என்ற நம்பிக்கை உள்ளது,'' என்றார்.

முதல்வருக்கு வணிகர்கள் சங்கம் மனு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் மிரட்டல்

சேலம்: "தமிழகத்தில், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் மிரட்டல் போக்கை கைவிட வேண்டும்' என, வணிகர் சங்க பேரமைப்பு வலியுறுத்தி உள்ளது.

தமிழ்நாடு வணிகர் சங்கங்களின் பேரமைப்பு, சேலம் மாவட்டத் தலைவர் பெரியசாமி, மாவட்ட செயலாளர் வர்க்கீஸ் ஆகியோர், தமிழக முதல்வருக்கு அனுப்பியுள்ள மனுவில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:மத்திய அரசு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணய சட்டத்தால், இந்திய உணவு தொழில்கள் ஒட்டு மொத்தமாக அழியும் நிலை ஏற்படும். இந்த சட்டத்தை மாற்றி அமைக்க வேண்டும் என, மூன்றாண்டாக மத்திய, மாநில அரசிடம் வலியுறுத்தி வருகிறோம்.தற்போது, இச்சட்டத்தின் கீழ் பதிவு மற்றும் உரிமம் எடுக்க, கால வரையறை இந்தாண்டு பிப்ரவரி வரை இருந்தது. இச்சட்டத்தில், முழுமையான மாற்றங்கள் செய்யாத வரை, இந்த சட்டத்தை அமல்படுத்தக்கூடாது. இதற்கான கால வரம்பை மேலும், ஓராண்டு நீட்டிக்க வேண்டும். இது தொடர்பாக, மத்திய சுகாதாரத்துறை அமைச்சர் குலாம்நபி ஆசாத்திடம் மனு கொடுத்துள்ளோம்.இந்நிலையில், தமிழகத்தில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் இச்சட்டத்தின்படி பதிவு மற்றும் லைசென்ஸ் எடுக்காவிட்டால், ஐந்து லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம், ஆறு மாதம் சிறை தண்டனை, என்று நோட்டீஸ் வழங்கி வருகின்றனர். மேலும், கடை கடையாக சென்று மிரட்டி, வழக்குகள் பதிவு செய்யும் நடவடிக்கையில் ஈடுபடுவது, வணிகர்களிடையே பீதியை ஏற்படுத்தி உள்ளது.எனவே, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகளின் நடவடிக்கைகளை நிறுத்தி வைக்க உத்தரவிட வேண்டும். வணிகர்களின் கோரிக்கைகளுக்கு உறுதுணை புரியும் வகையில், சட்டத்தில் முழுமையான மாற்றங்கள் செய்யவும், மேலும் ஓராண்டு நீட்டிப்பு செய்யவும், மத்திய அரசுக்கு, மாநில அரசு பரிந்துரை செய்ய வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Corporation fails to obtain license from food safety board for Kovai's Amma canteens

COIMBATORE: In yet another case of double standards, the city municipal corporation has failed to obtain the mandatory license from the food safety department for its highly successful Amma canteens. The civic body has not even bothered to apply for the license even with the extended deadline for the same coming to a close tomorrow (February 4). The same is the case with the three slaughter houses of the civic body in its limits as there has been no attempt so far to apply for license or registration for these facilities as per the provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business Operators) 2011.

"We have not received any application so far from Coimbatore corporation for issuing license to Amma canteens and the slaughter houses in the city," said R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration Wing, Coimbatore.

As per the law, all food business operators and related processes are expected to either get registered or apply for license from the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India by February 4, 2013. The civic body's laidback attitude comes at a time when more than 1179 temporary/ permanent food stall owners, 932 mobile food vendors, 256 home based canteens, 1206 petty tea shops below an annual turn over 12 lakh have got themselves registered with the department.

"We will look into the matter," said S Sivarasu, Deputy Commissioner, Coimbatore Corporation.

The registration and license provisions are being made mandatory to ensure there is no compromise on the quality of food offered for public consumption. The corporation has 10 Amma canteens in the city and each canteen serves around 1200 idlis and 300 servings of sambhar rice and curd rice on a daily basis. The corporation has also not applied for license for its three slaughter houses at Ukkadam, Sathy Road and Podanur. There are two more corporation slaughter houses at Singanallur and Sowripalayam that are not functioning at the moment.

City corporation sources claimed that they would apply for the license before the deadline.

Many Hyderabad eateries yet to register under Food Safety and Standard Act

HYDERABAD: With not many eateries coming forward to take licence and register themselves with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) under the Food Safety and Standard Act (FSS), 2006, the corporation has decided to take up a special drive and even initiate prosecution proceedings against some hotels for not taking the mandatory licence to run eateries. 

The Centre has given time to hotels and small eateries to take licence and register themselves till February 4, 2014. Though there were about 12,000 hotels and another 20,000 small eateries and tiffin centres in Greater Hyderabad, only 5,000 have taken licence and registered with the GHMC so far. 

As per the FSS Act, 2006 (rules framed in 2011), a licence is mandatory to run any food-related business like manufacturing, distribution, processing or retail sale with an annual turnover of over Rs 12 lakh. For the licence, the establishments have to pay a fee of Rs 2,000. Vendors or eateries having less than Rs 12 lakh turnover should register with the GHMC by paying Rs 100 per year. 

Apart from hotels and restaurants, roadside eateries, grocers and departmental stores selling food products, and meat stalls would also have to register or obtain licence depending on their turnover. However, many traders in the city were yet to register themselves under the FCC Act. 

Official sources said the rules for FSS Act were released in August 2011. In 2012, 3,575 vends had taken licences and another 4,655 got registered. In 2013, 2,495 eateries had obtained licences and 1,484 had registered with designated officers and food safety officers in the corporation limits. 

The sources said poor response was mainly due to lack of awareness among hoteliers, small vendors and businessmen. While in some cities like Chennai, the corporation has started spot registration for roadside eateries at various places and even taken out awareness rallies in view of the nearing deadline, the GHMC has not taken up any awareness programmes so far, especially for roadside eateries. 

If anyone fails to take licence under the Act, the designated officers have powers to prosecute hotels. The courts might impose fine up to Rs five lakh, while for establishments having less than Rs 12 lakh turnover the fine could be up to Rs two lakh. 

When contacted, GHMC designated officers of FSS Act, K Balaji Raju admitted that many traders have to take licence and register. They have not been coming forward even after the deadline was extended several times, he added. 

"The corporation has conducted meetings with hotel associations and bakeries' associations to bring awareness among vendors and hoteliers. Some more awareness programmes are being planned for roadside eateries with the help of Reddy's Foundation," Balaji Raju added.

Tepid response to Food Safety Act

With only two days left to the deadline for food business operators and others dealing with food products to either register or get a licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), none of the 60 slaughter houses-cum-shops in the Bhoor Mandi area have submitted an application to the authorities.

Civil Surgeon Dr RL Bassan said that he was aware of the issue. "I will ask the district health officer Dr Balwinder Singh to hold a camp in the mandi on Monday and ensure that the owners of these businesses apply under the act and the law is followed."

He added that if the Central government did not extend the deadline under the Act, then a drive will be started for penal action. Non-registration/licencing is liable to be punished with a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh and/or imprisonment of up to six months. The district health officer Singh was unavailable for comments. 

Apart from slaughter houses-cum-shops, chemists, which also sell processed food, and number about 1,500-1,600, have also not shown any response. It is reported that only around 20 have applied. 

Till date, nearly 1,550 eateries have got licences and nearly 8,200 joints, including stall holders, hotels, restaurants, canteens, dhabas, food cats, sweetshops, tea stalls, grocery stores, meat sellers, milk sellers have got themselves registered with the department in Jalandhar. 

Even as the FSSAI tracks the businesses, the district health authorities have made efforts to get the business in the area to follow some norms. In May 2012, a health department visited Bhoor Mandi and had instructed slaughter house owners to maintain cleanliness in the area and asked them for immediate registration under Food Safety Act. They also issued instructions regarding deep-freezing the meat and maintaining hygiene.

'DHS debunks rumours'

The eateries and establishments dealing in food products will have to register under the Food Safety Act, 2006, as any reports that the Act would be abolished were wrong, a senior official has said. 

Speaking to HT over phone, director health services, Dr Karanjit Singh said, "The proceedings of registration under this Act will continue."

Food safety rules to be implemented by Feb 2014

GUWAHATI: The state health and family welfare department has urged all food business operators in the state to implement the guidelines of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS), 2006, before February 4, 2014. Accordingly, all operators will have to acquire food licenses and register before the deadline.

The measure will help the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, an agency of the Union ministry of health and family welfare, protect and promote public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.

“It will be helpful for us to trace vendors for any follow-up action and address the needs of consumers. It will also help maintain a record of vendors. Introduction of good manufacturing practices and good hygienic practices is another aspect of this act,” said Samiran Baruah, food safety officer.

According to Section 63 of the FSS Act, any person found running a food business without a valid license will be imprisoned for six months with a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. The commissioner of food safety, Assam, instructed all the designated officers in the five regions of the state to organize licensing melas.

Ban sale of adulterated milk: Activists

HYDERABAD: While top milk suppliers in the state are jacking up prices, activists alleged that milk continues to be adulterated and unsafe for consumption, and demanded a ban on such spurious products till they meet safety standards.

As per analysis of six samples across major brands, milk manufactured by leading Indian and even international companies are of substandard quality, claimed activists who received lab reports following an RTI query. Scientific analysis of milk done at the State Food Laboratory at Nacharam revealed that the samples did not conform to the standards of milk fat and total plate count. In one case, the type of milk was not mentioned on the label, making it a case of 'misbranding'.

"On one hand the milk that is being sold is toxic and on the other hand, these companies are hiking their prices. We have been fighting for distribution of safe milk for a long time, but nothing is being done ," said Achyuta Rao, who had filed a petition with the human rights commission last year on this matter.

Activists further alleged that the price of milk has more than doubled since 2008 when one litre cost an average of Rs 16 compared to the Rs.40 charged now. Previous analysis of samples from these brands had revealed dangerously high levels of enterobacteria such as salmonella and e-coli, known to cause gasteroenteritis, fever and typhoid.

The continuing racket surrounding milk adulteration is currently being discussed in the Lokayukta and petitioners have asked the GHMC's health and family welfare department to call for a ban on spurious milk products. The most vulnerable group, activists claimed, are children, especially infants, who have been weaned of breast milk. Ironically, a milk survey undertaken by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found AP to be in the 'mostly safe' zone compared to other states.

Meanwhile, statements issued by some of the top brands said that they have been compelled to raise the price of their milk products on account of increase in milk procurement costs.