The Pattali Makkal Katchi on Thursday urged the Centre to impose a ban on the field trial of genetically modified (GM) crops.
The decision of the Union government’s panel on genetic engineering evaluation to permit field trial of genetically modified cotton and brinjal and to allow import of oil extracted from genetically modified soya would put domestic agriculture in peril, party founder S. Ramadoss said.
The panel, which met four times in the last few months, had permitted the field trial of 60 GM crops, though the permission was given only for Bt cotton for commercial purposes. “At such a juncture, the urgency shown in permitting the field trial of several GM crops remains an unanswered question,” he said.
Mr. Ramadoss said the Supreme Court was expected to pronounce its judgment on the issue as an expert panel appointed by it to study the subject had recently submitted its report. The committee had observed that permitting the field trial would destroy native seed varieties, the environment, and ultimately the food supply chain. In the absence of a regulatory mechanism, the field trial should not be allowed, the panel had stated.
Given the opinion of the expert panel and the ruling the Supreme Court would deliver any time, the urgency in allowing the field trial was giving room for suspicion, the PMK leader said.
