The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has come down heavily against the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in the country.

A Parliamentary panel Thursday recommended a thorough probe into the controversy surrounding the approval given to Bt Brinjal and its subsequent withdrawal, saying it had found indications that the

NO GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD Standing committee orders probe into Bt Brinjal row; says proper tests not conducted before introduction, ‘collusion of worst kind’

‘Probe how Bt brinjal seed was allowed to be commercialised’

In a major setback to the proponents of genetically modified technology in farm crops, the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture on Thursday asked the government to stop all field trials and sought a bar on GM food crops (such as Bt. brinjal). The committee report, tabled in the Lok Sabha, demanded a “thorough probe” into how permission was given to commercialise Bt. brinjal seed when all evaluation tests were not carried out.

The Coalition for a GM-Free India has called for immediate implementation of the recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture to stop all field trials of genetically modified crops.

Welcoming the report of the committee and terming it a historic and well-grounded document, the coalition said that the government should withdraw the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill in view of the committee’s findings. It hoped that the governments in India, especially the Union government, would change their perspective on the subject at least now. “It is clear that the government’s views are uninformed and biased on the matter, and the blind promotion of the technology is unscientific to say the least,” said the coalition in a press release on Thursday.

Agriculture seed major Mahyco, which has been accused of black marketing its seeds and distributing it without informing the State Government, could well stand to lose its license to sell seeds in