BKU Dakaunda opposes Punjab's NOC for GM maize trials, warns of agitation

Indian Express

28-07-2025

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Dakaunda strongly opposed the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued by the Punjab government to the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, for conducting field trials of genetically modified (GM) maize on Monday. This variety of maize is engineered to tolerate glyphosate, a toxic herbicide for which scientific evidence from across the world has shown adverse effects on human health, soil micro-organisms, and the environment.
The Punjab government issued a NoC on May 29 for confined field trials of two kinds of GM maize at PAU by Bayer, formerly Monsanto, a German multinational biotechnology company.
The union pointed out that the Punjab government had banned the use of glyphosate as early as 2018, thereby acknowledging its harmful impact. 'In a state like Punjab, already grappling with a health crisis, high cancer rates, and environmental degradation, allowing trials of such toxic crops is utterly irresponsible. If the current government has any new safety data regarding glyphosate, it must be made public immediately,' said Jagmohan Singh, state general secretary of the union.
The union also raised concerns that out of 11 states approached, only Punjab has granted an NOC to Bayer. 'This raises the question: does the Punjab government possess any special safety data that other states do not? Moreover, PAU's past record on this issue is controversial. During herbicide-tolerant mustard trials, documented biosafety violations—including photographic evidence—had come to light, but no action was taken against the responsible officials. Under such circumstances, how can farmers place their trust?' asked Jagmohan Singh.
'Another serious concern is the absence of any legal protocol in India for assessing herbicide-tolerant crops. Even the Supreme Court's July 2024 ruling on GMOs is yet to be implemented. In this legal vacuum, such trials are not only unjustified but also anti-people and anti-nature. The union demanded clarity on who approved these trials—was it a political decision or merely a bureaucratic one?' asked Jagmohan Singh.
BKU Ekta Dakaunda has made several demands from the Punjab government, including immediate withdrawal of the NOC granted for GM maize, public disclosure of all scientific and administrative documents related to the decision, formation of an independent inquiry committee to investigate the hidden reasons behind this decision, strong policy decisions to keep Punjab's agriculture free from GM crops and toxic chemicals and development and testing of new seeds transparently by PAU in consultation with farmers.
'Adding to the gravity of the issue is Punjab's 2018 executive order prohibiting the use of glyphosate across the state. The ban was based on recommendations from the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee, which allows glyphosate only in tea plantations and non-cropped areas—conditions not applicable to Punjab, where nearly 100 per cent of the agricultural land is under cultivation,' said Jagmohan Singh.
'The state's prohibition order also cited scientific findings that link glyphosate to cancer and DNA damage, drawing on expert opinions from institutions like the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh,' said Jagmohan Singh, adding that if government possesses new safety data that overrides the scientific concerns and policy decisions made earlier, it must be made public immediately.
Boota Singh Burjgill, state president, said BKU Dakaunda reiterated its firm opposition to GM crops and chemical-based farming and pledged to continue its struggle to protect Punjab's farmers, soil, and future generations.