Sample Tweets (and guidelines) here -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RKKCmsVJjFZcqI2usS5vwdfwFcam4mNSyBqYgkIgsck/edit?usp=sharing
#StopGMFood
Twitter Action after more than 20 brands of packaged food were found to have GM ingredients (from CSE press conference) and being sold freely even though this is ILLEGAL and even after repeated complaints made to different govt agencies that are responsible to regulate and act to check illegal entry of GM foods.
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Compulsory Hashtag (on each & every tweet): #StopGMFood
27th July 2018 (Friday)
3pm to 6pm
Intended Targets: @fssaiindia @MoHFW_INDIA @JPNadda @moefcc @drharshvardhan @sureshpprabhu @dgftindia @PMOIndia
(FSSAI, Health Minister, Environment Ministry and Environment Minister, Commerce Ministry's DGFT and Commerce Minister)
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27th July 3pm-6pm
Background
Illegal genetically modified food is being sold widely in India for multiple food products. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE),in a study published on 26th July 2018, reported that 21 food products out of a total 65 tested had illegal genetically modified ingredients. This means that one third of what they tested for turned out to be GM, and all of this is being illegally brought in and sold.
80% of the samples that tested positive were imported (16 of the 21 food products that were positive for GM presence). 46% of the imported food products that were tested were positive (35 of the 65 food products tested were imported foods, and 16 of those were positive for GM presence). Out of the 30 Indian products tested, 5 had GM presence (17%). 35% of the products even had their label mentioning GM on the label, when GM presence is illegal in India as per an FSSAI affidavit in the Supreme Court.
Here is the material put out by CSE on its latest research:
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/, https://www.cseindia.org/--8879, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/genetically-modified-food-whose-health-whose-business-61231, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/vacuum-in-governance-on-genetically-modified-foods-in-india-61230, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/genetically-modified-foods-can-cause-unintended-changes-icmr-61232, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/glyphosate-use-increased-1500-since-genetically-modified-crops-were-introduced-61241, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/cse-study-finds-genetically-modified-ingredients-in-food-products-61245, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/video/cse-s-chandra-bhushan-on-gm-in-india-s-packaged-food-61243 and http://cdn.cseindia.org/attachments/0.59829700_1532595750_genetically-modified-processed-foods-india-report.pdf are links to the CSE research on the subject.
Hindi link here
In India, starting from April 1st 2017, GEAC (the apex regulatory body for gene technologies in India called Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee) had abdicated its role of regulating GM foods as per Rule 11 of Environment Protection Act's 1989 Rules. They did so knowing fully well that there is no one else who will regulate either.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, which is supposed to crack down on anyone who is getting GM materials into India, without first getting approval of GEAC, or without also putting in a declaration that the consignment contains GM at the time of import, is keeping mum and passing on its responsibility by simply writing to other authorities.
http://indiagminfo.org/illegal-gm-foods-flooding-india-it-is-no-longer-a-case-of-simple-negligence-or-apathy-but-adoption-of-an-anti-citizen-policy-on-gm-foods/ is the press release put out by the Coalition for a GM-Free India, reacting to the CSE findings. This is a classic case of the Government of India actively adopting an anti-citizen policy when it comes to GM foods, and not just a matter of negligence or apathy any more. What else explains the failure of so many regulators and ministries together??
CSE (Centre for Science and Environment), India's leading environment organisation did a study and found that more than 20 packaged genetically modified (GM) food products are being sold openly in market to unsuspecting consumers.All of this when the govt itself says it has not approved food products and no long-term safety assessment on impact of GM Foods has been done. BJP had promised in 2014 election manifesto that it would not allow such GM foods. GM negatively impacts farmers, consumers, climate, children, trees and wildlife (with genetically modified trees and animals coming in!) and displays institutional corruption (hence you are receiving this). If you care about any of these, you should be bothered.These GM foods sold in market illegally include infant food, canola/cottonseed oil, Kellogg's multigrain cereal, popcorn snacks, tofu amongst others. Detailed report can be found at end of link below. Remember complaints have been made to multiple govt bodies earlier but this time we must firmly tell the govt not to risk health of our children.To raise voice on this and demand accountability/action from government, a Pan-India twitter action is being planned on 27th July from 3-6 pm under hashtag #StopGMFood More details to be shared shortly. Please join and share the word.Youtube video of press release here - https://youtu.be/orM4nXsY7tkReport full document here - http://cdn.cseindia.org/attachments/0.59829700_1532595750_ genetically-modified- processed-foods-india-report. Response from Coalition on GM Free India listing previous complaints made and all regulatory gaps here -PS - To respond to the email, do not do a reply all, reply privately just to me at rohit.2691@gmail.com otherwise you will end up getting lot of emails with failure replies back from groups you are not on.
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