The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Say no to GM food'

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Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Say no to GM food'

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Coalition for Genetically Modified Free Karnataka (CGMFK) has requested the State Government to take steps to stop cultivation of genetically modified food crops in the State.

Representatives of the CGMFK, who participated in a seminar at Gandhi Bhavan near Shivananda Circle here on Sunday, urged the Government to, instead, pave way for the organic revolution.

The Government may not have allowed cultivation of the genetically modified food at present. But, it has not taken any further steps in the regard. “The Government has not declared a firm no to genetically modified crops in the State,” G. Krishna Prasad, convener for CGMFK, said.

Surveys carried out by scientists across the world show that genetically modified crops have an adverse effect on health. “Brinjal is one of the crops that is being cultivated and consumed across the country. The commercial cultivation of genetically modified crop would endanger this diversity,” he said.

The CGMFK wants the Government to stop all kind of imports of crops to Karnataka. The Government should formally declare Karnataka as “a genetically modified free State” and not to permit the sale of processed or unprocessed genetically modified crops in the State, it said.

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