1.Monsanto caught red-handed violating rules!
2.Put an immediate stop to all environmental releases of GMOs
NOTE: Yesterday Greenpeace India and a Kannada TV channel exposed how Monsanto is violating biosafety norms by showing how a seed production plot for GM maize is being conducted. This comes just two days after the Times of India published an article exposing how a senior agriculture ministry scientists had bent the rules to get clearance for trials of GM rice to be conducted by his wife!
http://gmwatch.eu/latest-listing/1-news-items/13298
The first item below is the Greenpeace press release relating to Monsanto's biosafety violations. The second is a letter sent to India's Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, by the Coalition for a GM-Free India with endorsements from hundreds of organisations and concerned individuals from all over India, including farmers' organisations, consumer groups, environmentalists and environmental organisations, academics, activists, media representatives, concerned individuals etc. There are also two former Ministers of Kerala who have signed on, two recipients of the Padma Shri award (one of India's highest civilian awards), and so on.
This gives some sense of the extent of the growing outrage at the way GM crops are being regulated in India, and Monsanto's brazen disregard of biosafety issues.
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1.Monsanto caught red-handed violating rules!
Greenpeace India, Press release, July 4 2011
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/en/news/Monsanto-caught-red-handed-violating-rules/
*Civil society and farmer unions demand action against the company and an immediate ban of GM field trials in India
Bangalore: After Monsanto was caught red-handed violating bio-safety rules in the case of GM corn by Greenpeace and a local TV channel, leading farmers union in the state, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and civil society organisations demanded an immediate ban on all open field experiments of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in the country.
Monsanto, the American multinational seed giant had taken up seed production for two transgenic corn hybrids containing stacked cry2Ab2, cry1A.105 (Event MON 89034) & cp4epsps (Event NK603) genes[1] on the field of one Mr. Amrit Gowda in the village of Banihatti P.A in Sindagi Taluk, Bijapur, Karnataka. It has been found that the company has flouted every required norm or procedure to ensure biosafety from such GM products in experimental & research stages. What is most worrying is the fact that the biosafety assessment of this GM corn has not been completed while such open cultivation leading to seed and transgene leakage have been permitted.
The following are the major violations that Greenpeace has documented in this case:
a. GM corn cobs with viable seeds have been lying at the field, which was harvested almost a month ago (June 1, 2011) leading to concerns about seeds from the plot leaking/dispersing/spreading to nearby areas and volunteer plants coming up in the upcoming season. Thus the rule to destroy all residues properly after the GM crop has been harvested have been violated.
b. The existing guidelines [2008] for field experiments of GM crops in confined conditions also says that all crops, including the refuge, has to be destroyed post the harvest. In this case the farmer has been allowed to keep the refuge, which could already be contaminated with the transgenes from the GM corn. This raises serious concerns about the health to the farmer and his family who may have consumed the corn and also about the possibility of these contaminated seeds spreading further. As a matter of fact, the refuge was left over by the company for the farmer to use as feed for his cattle.
c. The field has been left open with residues of GM corn lying there for more than a month and cattle have been found grazing in the trial plot. Only small patches of the cultivated field have been burned down, and only this has been documented/photographed by the company at the time of harvest [probably just to satisfy the statutes]. There has been no contact made by the company thereafter.
d. Most alarmingly there was neither a fence around the trial plot while the trial was happening nor any sign board indicating that the field had a regulated, untested GM corn in an experimental stage was being cultivated.
e. Bijapur does not have a functional District Level Committee (DLC) in place; neither the Deputy Commissioner, Bijapur nor the Joint Director of Agriculture knew about the existence of such a body or of any cultivation of GM crops happening in the district. According to existing regulatory regime, a DLC is a mandatory body in any place where field trials are permitted/in progresss.
f. Monsanto has executed a seasonal agreement with the farmer's relative. This is in contravention to the guidelines set forth by GEAC for the usage of farmers fields, which says that the applicant has to have at least a 3-year lease agreement with the farmer whose plot is being used. This is also to ensure that proper post-harvest monitoring of the plot can happen.
g. There was no information given to the farmer on what precautionary measures need to be taken to ensure biosafety norms are adhered to before or after the trial.
h. Monsanto was permitted to take up trials in Rabi 2010-2011 or Kharif 2011 but this plot was neither a rabi crop nor a kharif crop but was sown as a summer crop.
"While these are the violations that could be documented almost after a month after the harvest of the GM corn, one shudders at the thought of the numerous possibilities of contamination that would have happened while the GM crop was in the field". said Shivani Shah, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India. She further stated that "What we saw on ground proves once again that the citizens of this country cannot trust the regulatory body in this country to ensure that our health, farming and environment from the risks of GM crops".
Greenpeace is sending the video documentation of the field and other relevant evidences collected along with this letter to the Minister for Environment & Forests, Sri Jairam Ramesh and the regulators, which substantiates our concerns. The same is being sent to the Chief Minister of Karnataka too.
"Karnataka is fast becoming a hotbed of such field trials. It is high time that the state government comes forward, like Madhya Pradesh has done for instance, to save the citizens of this state" said Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Samrudha. He demanded Karnataka state government follow the path of other states governments like Bihar and Madhya Pradesh which have written to the Government of India informing that they will disallow such trials in their respective states.
Kodihalli Chandrasekhar, President, KRRS said, "Field trials and seed production of this GM corn has also been permitted for this Kharif. The Karnataka farmers are being made scapegoats by multinational seed corporations like Monsanto, whose past is checkered with numerous cases of violations of farmers' rights over their seeds. If our elected governments remain silent spectators to such onslaughts of seed corporations whose eye is on taking control of the multi billion seed market in the country, the farmers of the state will have to resort to direct action to protect their seeds, farms and livelihoods. The state government has to come forward to ban such trials in Karnataka and to immediately stop Monsanto from operating in the state".
Speaking at the press conference, Kavitha Kuruganti, Convenor, Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture [ASHA] said, “It is clear that our regulators have no control whatsoever on the open air release of GM seeds even as they sit in Delhi and clear dozens of applications for such environmental release. Field trials today pose a grave threat and we have highlighted the failures of the regulators time and again, including in a presentation we made to the GEAC on 11th May this year. It is also clear that regulators are allowing the industry and conflicting interests to prevail in their decision-making forgetting that they have been given a mandate of protecting our environment, health and Nature from the risks of modern biotechnology, Liability has to be fixed on Monsanto for the grave violations found here; further, the government should fix liability on the regulators for such lapses. It is time that environmental releases including for open air trials and seed production be topped immediately”.
In the light of this new evidence, speakers demanded that the Union Minister for Environment and Forests, under whose Ministry GEAC operates, should:
*Blacklist Monsanto and ensure that liability measures under EPA1986 are invoked against the company. The regulators liable for such lapses.
*Cordon off the region around this GM seed production site immediately and a contamination study of the region should be ordered and a report brought out immediately about the extent of contamination if any.
Given the lack of monitoring mechanisms in place, they also demanded that no more field trials be permitted in India, which is critical to keep our food and environment safe from the potential dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms.
Notes to the editor:
* A copy of the letter to GEAC can be accesed at http://www.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/docs/Letter%20to%20GEAC-%20Monsanto%20Bijapur.pdf
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2.Put an immediate stop to all environmental releases of GMOs
July 6th 2011
To: Shri Jairam Ramesh,
Minister for Environment & Forests (I/C),
Government of India.
Dear Sir,
Sub: GM regulatory incapabilities/inefficiencies/apathy in India Put an immediate stop to all environmental releases of GMOs
You might be aware of the serious violations documented in the GM maize seed production plot of Monsanto in Karnataka by Greenpeace India and a Kannada TV channel, and the story was prominently telecast yesterday (attached are a press release and Greenpeace’s letters to GEAC/Karnataka government which list out all the violations). While all these violations were documented after the season, one shudders to think of other violations during the cultivation phase!
Ӣ This episode once again showcases the lack of institutional mechanisms for oversight and implementation of biosafety norms and even lack of adequate biosafety norms when it comes to open air releases including for seed production permissions of GMOs in India. With regard to this episode, it is very important that the GM cultivation plot and surrounding areas are cordoned off and tested for contamination immediately and appropriate containment measures taken.
Ӣ It is not clear why GEAC should have cleared 25 acres of seed production of GM maize of Monsanto, which is essentially for an untested product. Even at an average yield of just 20 quintals per acre, the produce from these 25 acres will be adequate for 10,000 acres this cannot be for research obviously and can only be for commercialisation! It appears that GEAC has no scientific rationale behind permitting such seed production (and in particular, extents) and no control over what happens to such seed. Does this kind of seed production mean that GEAC is anticipating, as the company might be, that GM maize will be commercialized soon and is supporting the company in its preparations?
”¢ It is being proven time and time again that open air releases of untested GMOs are not under anybody’s control in this country. There are other examples too from the past, including the case of Mahyco planting unapproved illegal herbicide-tolerant GM cotton in its trial fields and the illegal proliferation of herbicide tolerant GM cotton of another kind found in several states (with the state governments confirming this to the GEAC).
”¢ The regulators are not ridding themselves of objectionable conflicting interests and unscientific functioning despite repeated instances which have come to light; the recent example of Dr Swapan Datta is a very black-and-white case of conflict of interest that cannot be explained away as a “scientific intervention”. Before this, for the April 27th consultation with ‘experts’ on Bt brinjal, the GEAC did not hesitate to call ‘experts’ who are GM crop developers including one expert whose institution receives funding from Mahyco, to pronounce his views on Bt brinjal and its safety. All of this is completely unacceptable and has further eroded our meagre confidence in the regulators.
”¢ The fact that the regulators do not seem to have realized and internalised that in this case, the EPA 1989 Rules have been created with a specific purpose of protecting Nature, health and environment from the risks posed by GMOs is witnessed time and again. They continue to look at themselves as a clearing house of GM applications, despite your decision to change their mandate from “approval” to “appraisal” committee. A recent example is that of GM rubber trials permitted in two states for 14 years; one of the areas is Dahanu declared as an ecologically fragile taluka within the eco-sensitive/bio-diverse Western Ghats. The permission letter that is supposed to lay down the biosafety norms to be followed for the trial was a copy and paste job from an annual crop single season trial approval letter. On our objections raised to GEAC, the only step taken by GEAC is of forwarding our letter to RCGM to re-examine, while the immediate action should have been to revoke
permissions given and stop the trials from being started. This lax attitude and irresponsibility on such serious issues is of grave concern.
Ӣ These issues have been brought to the attention of GEAC but no concrete action has been taken on any of them. So far, despite pointing out numerous violations, the EPA liability clause has NOT been invoked for deterrent action in a single instance. This is ominous and does not bode well for the safety of our environment and health.
It is very clear that the regulators cannot be trusted to regulate GMOs in the country, even though they have an express mandate of upholding biosafety. Their biases, lack of scientific rigour, conflicting interests, incapabilities and apathy are apparent from numerous instances. It is patently obvious that environmental releases of GMOs in India are not under control and yet, the GEAC continues to clear dozens of applications for GM field trials in its meetings. For instance, in the upcoming July 6th GEAC meeting 25 applications are being considered.
It is in this context that we strongly urge you to intervene immediately and:
1. Invoke the EPA 1986’s penal clauses against Monsanto for its biosafety and other violations in Karnataka and get Monsanto blacklisted;
2. Order the stoppage of all open air releases of GMOs in the R&D pipeline including for field trials and seed production immediately;
3. Fix liability on the regulators also for their lapses & rid the regulatory body of conflict of interest
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sd/-
1. Abdul Rahman C P, Farmer, Jaiva Karshaka Samithi, Calicut
2. Abdul Rasheed C R P, Farmer, Trivandrum
3. Abhilash, Software Engineer, Trivandrum
4. Adivasi Aikya Vedika, Andhra Pradesh
5. Adv Pouran, Chairman, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL-Kerala)
6. Adv Pradeepkumar, Haritha Sena Farmers Organisation, Kerala.
7. Aishwarya Madineni, Greenpeace, Bangalore
8. Ajayan R, Plachimada Support Group, Trivandrum
9. Ajit Kelkar, Abhinav AHRDO, Madhya Pradesh
10. Ajith, Secretary, Wyanad Organic Consortium
11. Alauddin Ahmed, State Coordinator, Save our Rice Campaign, West Bengal
12. Amber Dsouza, Ecomantra, Mumbai
13. Ambrose, The Lumiere, Organic Hotel, Kochi.
14. Amina Fareedi, New Delhi
15. Anand Bala, Ecomantra, Mumbai
16. Ananthoo, Coordinator, Safe Food Alliance, Tamil Nadu
17. Anil Akkara, Standing Committee Chairman, Trichur Jilla Panchayath (Young Leader Award 2011 CNN-IBN)
18. Anil Ranglani, Mumbai
19. Animish Mandrekar, concerned citizen, Mumbai
20. Annapoorni S, concerned citizen, Chennai
21. Anoop Chandran, Cine Actor, Alappuzha
22. Anoop Chandran, Cine Actor, Alappuzha
23. Anshuman Das, DRCSC, Kolkata
24. Anthra, Hyderabad
25. Arun Dike, Indore Biotech Agricultural Services, Indore
26. Arun Tyagi, Dalit Aadivasi Mahapanchayat, Madhya Pradesh
27. Aruna Rodrigues, Lead Petitioner, SC GMO PIL
28. Arundhati Sanath, Management Next, Bangalore
29. Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh, Pune
30. Ashita Rao, Cisco, Bangalore
31. Ashok kumar, Teacher and Farmer, Secretary, Nalla Bakshana Prasthanam, Malappuram
32. Ashwin Daga, Concerned student, Mumbai
33. Ashwini Yelne, Bhopal
34. Babu Mylampadi, Manager , South Malabar Gramin Bank, Wyanad
35. Badushah N, Chairman, Wyanad Environmental Protection Committee, Wyanad
36. Balasubramanian, Adisil Cholai, Thirumangalam, Madurai
37. Bhakti Nefertiti, Vriksh, Himachal Pradesh
38. Bharat Mansata, Vision Acres, Van Vadi, Maharashtra
39. Bhau Katdare, Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra
40. Biju, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Kochi, Kerala
41. Bina Patel, Mumbai
42. Binayak Swain, BAT NET, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
43. Biraj Patnaik, Advisor, Commissioners’ office in the Supreme Court RTF case
44. Biswajit Mohanty, Wildlife Society, Orissa
45. Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia, Mumbai
46. Brig. Oommen John (Retd.), Consultant
47. C Jayakumar, Thanal, Kerala
48. C R Neelakantan, Writer and Environmentalist
49. Catherine Lee, Social Activist, Statue, Trivandrum
50. Chadrasekharan Nair, Kerala Farmers Internet Forum, Trivandrum
51. Chandan Mukherjee, Consultant, Kolkata
52. D. Narasimha Reddy, Chetana Society, Hyderabad
53. D. V Sridharan, PointReturn.org, Chennai
54. Datta Patil, YUVA Rural, Nagpur
55. Debjeet Sarangi, Living Farms, Bhubaneswar
56. Deepa V S, Lecturer, College of Engineering, Karunagappalli.
57. Deepak Arya, Indian Society for Environmental Studies, Bangalore
58. Deepak Raju, Amarchand Mangaldas, Mumbai
59. Deepak Shah, Urban Leaves, Mumbai
60. Deepak Suchde, Malpani Trust, Madhya Pradesh
61. Dhanaraj Keezhara, Painter and Artist, Bangalore
62. Dharmen Dhulla, Pune
63. Dharmendar, Chetna Organic, Hyderabad
64. Dr. (Prof) Anil Sadgopal, Member, Presidium, All India Forum for Right to Education & Former Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Delhi
65. Dr. (Prof) C Shambu Prasad, Professor of Rural Management, XIM-Bhubaneswar
66. Dr. (Prof) Rajesh Dubey, Director, Centre for Technology Development & Research (CTDR), Jaipur; State Coordinator RKVY Uttarakhand Government; Advisor, Council of Science & Technology, Chhattisgarh; General Secretary, Prakriti Bharti Sansthan
67. Dr. A K Malhotra, Trustee, SAI Sanctuary Trust, Karnataka
68. Dr. Asha Gopinathan, Trivandrum
69. Dr. Ashok Kundapur, Member, Save Western Ghat Group, INTACH, Udupi
70. Dr. B K Mishra, Surgeon & Retd Jt Director-Health, Govt of Orissa
71. Dr. Bhalchandra Bhawe, Mumbai
72. Dr. Bhartendu Prakash, Kisan Vigyan Kendra, Banda, UP
73. Dr. Biji Abraham, Lecturer in Economics, Christian College, Chengannur.
74. Dr. Bijukumar, Reader, Kerala University, Trivandrum
75. Dr. C. Ramachandraiah, Social Scientist, Hyderabad.
76. Dr. Debal Deb, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, Kolkata
77. Dr. Deepa P.Gopinath, Lecturer in Electronics and Communication, College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, Mobile- +919446583466
78. Dr. Dwijendra Nath Guru, Gaaia Technologies, Bangalore
79. Dr. G G Parikh, President, Yusuf Meherally Centre, Tara, Maharashtra
80. Dr. G.S. Kaushal, Former Director, Dept of Agriculture, Agri Scientist, Bhopal
81. Dr. Goldin Quadros, Interim State Director, WWF India Maharashtra
82. Dr. Krishan Bir Chaudhary, President, Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, New Delhi
83. Dr. Latha Anantha, River Research Centre, Kerala
84. Dr. Maqbool, Professor in Zoology, MES College, Ponnani.
85. Dr. Mira Shiva, Initiative for Health & Equity in Society and Doctors for Food & Biosafety
86. Dr. Mita Dutta, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, Kolkata
87. Dr. N N Panickar, Retd Scientist, Naturalist, Trivandrum
88. Dr. R S Lalmohan, INTACH, Nagercoil
89. Dr. Ramanjaneyulu, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Hyderabad
90. Dr. Santhi, Scientist and Ecologist, Trivandrum
91. Dr. Sarada Money, Social Scientist, Trivandrum
92. Dr. Sasikumar Menon, Asst Director, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Laboratory, Mumbai
93. Dr. Sekhar Raghavan, Director, Rain Centre, Chennai
94. Dr. Shree Ram Padmadeo, Tara Foundation, Patna
95. Dr. Sreekumar, Kottayam Nature Society, Kottayam
96. Dr. Suresh Motwani, Agriculture expert, Bhopal
97. Dr. Thomas Varghese, Soil Scientist, Ex-Chairman, Kerala State Agricultural Prices Board
98. Dr. Usha Balaram, Professor (Retd.) in Zoology, Trivandrum
99. Dr. V N Sharaf, Retd. Dean, Agriculture College, Indore
100. Dr. V Rukmini Rao, Gramya Resource Centre for Women, Hyderabad
101. Dr. V S Vijayan, Chairman, Salim Ali Foundation and Ex-Chairman, Kerala State Biodiversity Board
102. Dr. Vandana Shiva, Navdanya, Dehra dun
103. Dr. Vinod, Ayurveda Doctor and Scientist, TBGRI, Trivandrum.
104. E S Jayachandran, Asst Professor, Model Engineering College, Kochi
105. Eldo Pachilakkadan, Architect, BIRDS, Trivandrum.
106. G. L. Janardhana
107. Gazala Fareedi, New Delhi
108. Geo Jose, National Alliance for People’s Movement, Kochi.
109. Gopalan- Shobha, Navadarshanam Trust Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu
110. Gorrepati Madhava Rao, Advocate, Human Rights Forum, Nizamabad, Andhra Pradesh
111. Guddi Tiwari, Yusuf Meherally Yuva Biradari, Mumbai
112. Gurbhej Singh Sandhu, Kheti Virasat Mission, Amritsar
113. Guruvayurappan, Wildlife Preservation Society of India, Palakkad.
114. Hariharan, Farmer, Secretary, Kissan Jyothi Farmers Club.
115. Harikumar, Sound Engineer, National Award Winner-2010
116. Harish, Legal Cell, One Earth One Life, Kerala
117. Hemanshi Ashar, Ecomantra, Mumbai
118. Hiten Malaviya, Mumbai
119. Illias, Secretary, One Earth One Life, Kerala
120. Ishwar Chandra Tripathi, BKU, Madhya Pradesh
121. J. Prasant Palakkappillil CMI Ph. D, Principal, Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Kochi
122. Jacob Lazer, PUCL, Kochi.
123. Jacob Nellithanam, Richharia Campaign, Chattisgarh
124. Jasveen Jairath, CAPNET, Hyderabad
125. Jay Mishra, Ecomantra, Mumbai
126. Jaya Iyer, concerned citizen, Delhi
127. Jayant Verma, Hamaraj Beej Abhiyan, Madhya Pradesh
128. Jayaprakash, Prakrithi Padana Kendram, Nilambur
129. Jayesh Gawde, Ecomantra, Mumbai
130. Jishnu, Kumarakom Nature Club, Kottayam
131. John Joseph, Oracle, Bangalore
132. Jose, Kerala Social Service Forum, Wyanad.
133. K Sajaya, Coordinator, Caring Citizens’ Collective, Hyderabad
134. K V Dayal, Chairman, Jaiva Karshaka Samithi, Kerala
135. K. Loganathan, General Secretary, Tamizhaga Agricultural Labourers Union (TALU)
136. Kabir Arora, Indian Youth Climate Network, Mumbai
137. Kalaivani, Erode District Organic Farmers Federation
138. Karan Sadarangani, concerned citizen, Mumbai.
139. Kavitha Kuruganti, Convenor, Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), Bangalore
140. Kiran Vazha, Student, Trivandrum
141. Kiran Vissa, Association for India’s Development, Hyderabad
142. Kisan Mehta, Prakruti, Mumbai
143. Kodihalli Chandrasekhar, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha
144. Kodur Sathyamurthy, Chief, Tejas Business Solutions
145. Krishna Prasad, Sahaja Samruddha, Bangalore
146. Kuldip Nayyar, Columnist and political commentator, former MP
147. Kunal Bopanna, Economic Times, Mumbai
148. Lajpat Dhingra, Thane, Maharashtra
149. Laxman Singh Muniya, Lok Jagriti Manch, Madhya Pradesh
150. M A Rahman, Professor in English and Film Maker, Kasaragod
151. M. David Amalanadane, Pharmacist, Karaikal, TN
152. Madhumita Dutta, Corporate Accountability Desk-The Other Media, Chennai
153. Mahila Brathukudervuvu Sangham, Medak district
154. Mahrukh, Ecomantra, Mumbai
155. Maj Gen (Retd) S.G.Vombatkere, NAPM, Mysore
156. Manas Ranjan, Khadya Adhikaar Abhiyaan, Odisha
157. Manisha Barot, Ecomantra, Mumbai
158. Mashqura Fareedi, New Delhi
159. Meghna Patel, Concerned Mother, Mumbai
160. Mekala Gorrela pempakadharla Sangham, Medak district
161. Mercy Alexander, Director, SAKHI Womens Resource Centre, Trivandrum.
162. Milind Wani, Kalpavriksh, Pune
163. Mukund Patel, Organic farmer, Pune
164. Nagarajan-Padmini, Navadarshanam Trust Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu
165. Nalla Gounder alias Thooran Nambi, National Secretary, Tamil Nadu Farmers Association
166. Narayanan, Farmer, Secretary, Jaiva Karshaka Samithi-Palakkad
167. Natabara Sarangi, seed conserver and organic farmer, Orissa
168. Neesha Noronha, Mumbai Organic Farmers & Consumers Association, Mumbai
169. Nemani Chandrasekhar, WASSAN, Secunderabad
170. Nilesh Desai, Beej Swaraj Abhiyan, Madhya Pradesh
171. Nityanand Jayaraman, Researcher, Activist, Chennai
172. Nivedita Menon, Cstep, Bangalore
173. O V Usha, Poet and Writer, Trivandrum
174. P Raghu, ActionAid, Hyderabad
175. Padma Shri Dr. Kutty Menon, Bhopal
176. Padma Shri Sugathakumari, Poet and Environmentalist, Kerala
177. Pallavi Hittanagi, Student, M.Sc (Environmental Science), Mysore
178. Pandiode Prabhakaran, Desiya Karshaka Samrakshana Samithi, Palakkad
179. Pandurang Hegde, Chipko/Appiko Movement, Karnataka
180. Pankaj Bhushan, GM Free Bihar Movement, Patna
181. Prashant Iyengar, Researcher, Center for Internet and Society, Bangalore
182. Prashant Nair, Ecomantra, Mumbai
183. Prathvi Bhatti, Ecomantra, Mumbai
184. Preeti Patil, Mumbai
185. Prof. Durai Singam, Ex-Chairman, Consumer Coordination Council of India, Pudukkottai, Tamilnadu
186. Prof. G Arunima, Trivandrum
187. Prof. Kaladharan, Chairman, Federation of the Consumer Organisations of Tamilnadu and Pondicherry (FEDCOT), Nagapattinam
188. Prof. Radhamohan, Former Information Commissioner, Orissa
189. Purushan Eloor, Chairman, Periyar Malineekarana Virudha Samithi, Kochi.
190. R Jayaraman, Thiruvaroor, State Coordinator, Save our Rice Campaign, Tamilnadu
191. R Ponnambalam, Managing Trustee, CREATE Trust, Nagercoil
192. R Selvam, Tamil Nadu Organic Farmers Federation
193. Rachna Arora Verma, Public Awareness on GM Foods
194. Radha Holla, concerned citizen, Delhi
195. Radhika Rammohan, Director, Restore Health Livelihoods and Nature,
Chennai
196. Raghunandan Hegde, Equations, Bangalore
197. Rajan Robert, Environmentalist, Trivandrum
198. Rajesh Krishnan, Sustainable Agriculture campaign, Greenpeace Ãndia, Bangalore
199. Rakesh Reddy Dubbudu, UFRTI, NAPM, Hyderabad
200. Rakesh Tikait, Bhartiya Kissan Union
201. Rama Bishnoi, Mumbai
202. Rama.Nambi Narayanan, State Organizing Secretary, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, Tamil Nadu
203. Ramasubramanian, Safe Food Alliance, Chennai
204. Ramesh Choudhary, Madhyanchal Forum, Madhya Pradesh
205. Ravi Goel, Ecomantra, Mumbai
206. Ravi Gowande, Thane
207. Ravi Kelkar, Abhinav AHRDO, Madhya Pradesh
208. Ravindra A, Researcher, Hyderabad
209. Rina Kamath, Organic Farmer, Terra Farma and Lawyer, Cause Humane Integrated Professional Services
210. Rini Matthew, Emc2, Bangalore
211. Robin, Editor, Keraleeyam Fortnightly, Thrissur
212. Rony Joseph, INFACT, Pala, Kerala.
213. Roshni Nuggehalli, CWC, Bangalore
214. Ruth Sequeira, LEAF Initiative, Mumbai
215. S Usha, National Coordinator, Save our Rice Campaign
216. Sachin Jain, Bhojan ka Adhikaar Abhiyan, Madhya Pradesh
217. Samir Mehta, Dharohar Dharti Trust, Mumbai
218. Sankara Narayanan, Engineer & Constructor, Bhubaneswar
219. Saraswati Kavula, Convenor, NAPM-AP
220. Sarayu Kamat
221. Saroj Mohanty, Paschim Odhisa Krushak Sanghatan, Odisha
222. Satinath Sarangi, Bhopal Group for Information & Action, Bhopal
223. Shaila Wagh, Matheran, Maharasthra
224. Shalini Bhutani, Lawyer, New Delhi
225. Shibu K Nair, Programme Director, Zero Waste Centre, Kovalam, Trivandrum
226. Shivani Shah, Sustainable Agriculture campaigner, Greenpeace India
227. Shweta Wagh, Assistant Professor, Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture & Environmental Studies, Mumbai
228. Siddharth Jaiswal, Go Green Herbs Pvt Ltd, OFAI Bihar Chapter
229. Smita Mitra, Outlook magazine, Mumbai
230. Sreedevi Lekshmikutty, Consultant, Save our Campaign.
231. Sri Binoy Viswom, Ex-Minister for Forests and Housing, Kerala
232. Sri Mullakara Rathnakaran, Ex-Minister for Agriculture, Kerala
233. Sridhar Radhakrishnan, Convenor, Coalition for a GM-Free India
234. Sruthi Shastri, The New Indian Express, Hyderabad
235. Sudhakar Prabhudesai, Managing Editor, Janata Weekly
236. Sudhir Kedia, Ecomantra, Mumbai
237. Suma Josson, Film Maker, Mumbai
238. Sumathy Sethuraman, Volunteer, ReStore, Chennai
239. Sundarrajan, Advocate, Poovulagin Nanbargal, Tamilnadu
240. T P Padhmanabhan, Director, Society for Environmental Education in Kerala (SEEK)
241. T.S. Ananthu, Navadarshanam Trust Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu
242. Tauseef Hussain, New Delhi
243. Ted D’Costa, Mumbai
244. Tejal V., Nurturing Grounds, Mumbai, Maharashtra
245. Thejesha, Sahaja Samrudha, Bangalore
246. Tree Natesan, Director, Exnora Environmental Research Institute, Chennai
247. Uday Acharya, Trustee, Vidya Vaaridhi Trust ((Urban Leaves), Mumbai
248. Uday Kanitkar, Member, HOPE (Here On Project Environment), Thane
249. Uma Shankari, Rashtriya Raitu Seva Samiti, Chittoor district
250. Umendra Dutt, Kheti Virasat Mission, Punjab
251. Urmila Patel, Mumbai
252. Urmila Rajadhyaksha, Landscape Architect, Mumbai; Fellow, Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA), Associate, Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), Member, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)
253. Usha Jayakumar, Thanal, Trivandrum
254. Vasant Futane, Organic Farmer, SAMVAD, Amravati, Maharashtra
255. Vinay Sreenivas, Cstep, Bangalore
256. Vinita Mansata, Earthcare Books, Kolkata
257. Vipul Patel, Color Art, Mumbai
258. Vipul Sanghavi, Mumbai
259. Viren Dhulla, Mumbai
260. Vishweshwar Madhav, Mumbai, Maharashtra
261. Walter Mendoza, Centre for Education & Documentation, Pune
262. Wilfred D’cousta, INSAF (Indian Social Action Forum), New Delhi
263. Yakshi, Hyderabad