Mahyco rapped for reluctance to disclose info on Bt brinjal

Mahyco has gone to Delhi High Court for quashing the Central Information Commission’s directives, pleading that disclosure of this information would hurt its commercial interest. Bt brinjal is the first food crop undergoing large-scale field trials in India.

After the Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) refusal to pass the data in response to a RTI application filed by Greenpeace in 2006, the case was forwarded to the Chief Information Commissioner. The CIC overruled DBT’s contention and asked the department to divulge the test data in public interest, prompting Mahyco to approach the Delhi High Court.

Addressing a press conference here, Nikhil Dey from the National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information, said: “The case reflects how crucial information on public health and safety is put under wraps by public authorities even after the directives for disclosure under the RTI Act. This undermines accountability of a department whose primary job is to protect the interest of the ordinary people.”

“Refusal to divulge safety data on food crops is violation of consumers’ basic rights to information and choice and safety,” said Bejon Mishra, executive director for Voice, a consumer interest organisation.

Greenpeace has been demanding that safety data for all GM crops be available for public scrutiny.

The group is demanding that the Government set up a statutory body under the Ministry of Health, to take up health and safety issues of all GM crops.