Over 200 farmers, under the banner of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association,the ICCFM today destroyed rice plants in a genetically engineered field trial location at Ramanathapuram village in Alandurai Taluk, about 20 km from here. The farmers, led by P Chellamuthu, TNFA chairman and Peasants and Toilers Party president, uprooted and destroyed the matured rice plants in the field which was reportedly leased out to Mahyco-Monsanto for carrying out Bt.rice field trial (bt cry 1 Ac rice).
The farmers, wearing headgears with anti-GE slogan written on them, marched to the field wearing gloves and safety masks.
Activists put up a banner that declared the plot to be a GE rice field trial location and also planted bio-hazard signposts along the plot and the demarcated the area with tapes.
The GE rice was planted in 20 cents plot in the middle of a two acre land, for field trial “without the knowledge” of the land owner about the nature of the trial and its hazardous nature, Chellamuthu told reporters.
He demanded that the district collector, heading the district level committee for monitoring field trials of GE crops, take cognizance of this trial and “blatant violation of guidelines by the company.” TNFA insisted that the crop must be destroyed by burning as required under the
Environment Protection Act 1986.
Representatives from Mahyco-Monsanto were not available to verify the TNFA claims Till now in the war against GM food BKU activists have laid a direct action in two places, namely Karnal and Gorakhpur in North India ,one place has been identified in Karnataka.
Coimbatore, Nov 10
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