PMK urges Centre to ban genetically modified crops field trail

CHENNAI: PMK, an ally of BJP in Tamil Nadu, today urged the Centre to ban field trail of Genetically Modified Crops as it would be disastrous to agriculture.

"Developed nations have banned Genetically Modified crops. Allowing it in our country will be disastrous for agriculture," PMK founder leader Ramadoss said in a statement here.

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) had permitted confined field trials of 13 GM crops, including rice, brinjal, chickpea, mustard and cotton, out of the 15 cases it considered.

Stating the GEAC nod was "shocking" which had also permitted import of GM soybean oil, Ramadoss also referred to an Expert Committee report to Supreme Court against field trails of GM Crops.

"It has been proven the world over that allowing GM crops was not the panacea for problems related to food requirement," he said and pointed out that even the GM cotton crop did not make any "revolution" in the yield.

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention on the issue and appealed to the Centre to ban field trails of GM crops.