GM crop: MP govt says no to field trials

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday announced that it would not allow field trials of any genetically modified (GM) crop and its open releases until the global debate on the issue was settled forever and there was clear evidence of safety. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has permitted field trials of GM Maize in Jabalpur in the state.

The state government’s stand on GM food was clearly spelled out in a letter written to Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh by state’s Farmers’ Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister Dr Ramkrishna Kusmaria. “It’s shocking to see that GEAC has permitted open field trials in India of Monsanto’s GM Maize containing both the Bt and herbicide-tolerant traits in a stacked-genes product,” the minister wrote. He claimed that recent studies have shown that introduction of Bt gene was a dangerous mistake and timely intervention from civil society and the environment ministry led to moratorium on it.

The minister said open field trials pose great risks of contamination and bio-safety violations. Kusmaria reminded Ramesh that MP has already taken a decision to prohibit all environment release of GMOs and keep the state totally free from GM food.