To CM, Orissa: Extensive illegal cultivation of Bt Cotton.

[Guest guest]

To

Sri Naveen Pattnaik,

Hon'ble Chief Minister,

Chief Minister's Office,

Orissa Secretariat,

Sachivalaya Marg,

Bhubaneswar.

 

DT: 31.07.08

 

Dear Sir,

 

Sub: Extensive illegal cultivation of Bt Cotton in Rayagada district.

We visited Rayagada district on the 17th & 18th of July to visit the major cotton cultivation belt, meet the district administration, cotton farmers, and inspect the extent of Bt Cotton cultivation in the district. We traveled to the towns of Padmapur, Gunupur and Rayagada and visited fields under cotton cultivation in the locality.

 

We found that 100% of the farmers in the area in between Padmapur and Gunupur, and around Gunupur have taken up the cultivation of Bt Cotton, which is illegal in Orissa. We picked up packets of the following Bt Cotton brands from the fields we visited;

 

 

Tulasi 4 Bt Tulasi 117 Bt Nuziveedu NCS 145 Bt Nuziveedu Mallika Bt (NCS 207 Bt) Bayer Surpass SP 504 Bt (Dhanno Bt) NUSUN Sigma Bt of Vibha Agrotech Swagath Seeds Brahmadev Bt (NSPL – 999 Bt) Kaveri Bullet Bt (KCH – 707 Bt) Varsha Bt (Akansha – 999) Ankur-Sita Akka Bt.

 

Thus almost all the companies trading in Bt Cotton seeds have easily managed to illegally sell their Bt seeds to farmers in this locality. None of these Companies have been given any permission by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to sell their seeds for commercial cultivation in Orissa. None of these seeds are approved by the Government of Orissa for sale in Orissa.

 

We did not find any evidence of bio safety protocols being adhered to. The farmers have used their entire land for the Bt Cotton cultivation without planting Bt Refugea seeds in the borders. No distance has been kept between the Bt crop and other non Bt crops being grown in adjacent fields. We found farm labourers plucking greens from inside the Bt cotton fields for personal consumption. No farmer has been warned not to allow cattle and other domestic animals for grazing in these fields. There is no indicator to indicate that Bt cotton is being cultivated in these fields.

 

In course of our discussion with senior farmers of the area we came to know that Bt Cotton cultivation has been initiated in the district by farmers from bordering State of Andhra Pradesh who have taken land on lease and initiated the practice since 2001-02. These farmers left in 2004-05 and then local farmers took up the cultivation of Bt Cotton.

 

As Bt Cotton initially gives a higher yield, primarily because of the better quality hybrid seed it is based upon, the lure of a higher income has dragged all cotton farmers of the area who are not aware of the hazards of the crop.

 

The situation is extremely critical. The district administration has no clue how to stem the tide and discourage the farmers from continuing the practice. The farmers also complained that many of them have been forced to take up Bt Cotton as non Bt seeds had conveniently disappeared from the market. Farmers who have been cultivating the crop since 2004-05 are now complaining of a fall in yield.

 

The farm labourers of the area are not happy at this development as they experience itching and other physical discomfort while plucking Bt Cotton. The Veterinary official of the area are worried about the impact on livestock and are enquiring about the antidote to the Bt toxin. The Livestock Inspector has informed us that cattle are now falling sick after grazing on cotton fields. The farmers report that the new diseases they are being afflicted with are no longer responding to their traditional medicines. They also report excessive salivation in their cattle.

 

Under the circumstances we request your good self to:

 

a) Take action against the errant companies who have allowed their seeds to be sold illegally in the area. The packets of Nuziveedu Seeds and Varsha Seeds have the words "for sale in Orissa" clearly marked on them.

b) Steps should be taken to ensure that non Bt seeds are available in the next season.

c) The farmers should be made aware of the risks involved and dissuaded from continuing the cultivation of Bt Cotton.

d) The doctors and veterinary surgeons of the area must be trained to monitor and tackle the impact of the Bt toxin on human and cattle health

e) Soil scientists should be deputed to study the effect of the Bt toxin on the soil microorganisms

f) Entomologists should study the impact on the insects so that pests do not flood the area and pose a threat to even the non Bt crops in the locality

g) Scientists should study the pollen flow and determine to what extent the flora and fauna of the region has been contaminated.

h) Policy makers should ensure that farmers do not get caught in the debt trap and commit suicide as they have been doing in the States where Bt Cotton has been allowed.

i) The Government should immediately declare the State an Organic Farming State to protect both the farmers as well as the consumers from highly toxic and unstudied genetically engineered poisons.

 

We hope you will realize the gravity of the situation and act accordingly.

 

Thanking you,

 

Yours faithfully,

 

sd/- sd/-

(Debjeet Sarangi) (Jagannath Chatterjee)

Living Farms, Bhubaneswar.

 

Cc: Hon'ble Minister for Agriculture,

Hon'ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare,

The Chief Secretary,

The Agriculture Secretary,

The Director Agriculture,

Dr P M Bhargava, Founder Director CCMB,

Dr Ranjini Warrier, Chairperson, GEAC, New Delhi,

Dr M K Bhan, Director, Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi.

"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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