Ban GM mustard, doctors ask Modi

New Delhi, December 6

After farmers and environmentalists, now medical professionals have opposed the environmental clearance to the genetically modified (GM) mustard – DMH 11. They have claimed that their opposition to the GM crop has a scientific underpinning. Demanding a complete ban, 111 specialist doctors in the country have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately ‘nullify’ the release of the GM crop. They said they view it as a ‘dangerous’ exercise.

Punjab farmers to protest govt’s push

• Amid increasing acreage of GM crops in the world, the Centre’s push for GM mustard is lacking the consensus among stakeholders
• Farmers’ unions of Punjab have threatened to hit the roads if the Centre continues with the field trials
• Jagmohan Singh of BKU (Dakaunda) said, “Farmers will launch an agitation if the government goes ahead with GM mustard field trials”
• The environment risk of implementing field trials can be catastrophic and irreversible, say green activists

Issuing a warning, the medical professionals said, “Our entire population consumes mustard as seeds, leaves and oil. As medical professionals, we feel it is our duty to warn about the serious adverse impacts of the herbicide tolerant of GM crops.”

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, India’s apex regulator of genetically modified plants and food products under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, has already approved the environmental release of the DMH-11.