In a prayer meeting followed by pledge-taking at Rajghat, many organisations and individuals joined hands to launch Sarson Satyagraha against the entry of GM mustard in India, on July 31st 2015. The following is their letter to Prakash Javadekar, MoEFCC. July 31, 2015 To: Mr. Prakash Javadekar Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government […]
Delhi University’s GM Mustard: Learn More Here
BRIEFING PAPERS The Coalition for a GM-Free India, after putting out a Briefing Paper on Delhi University’s GM Mustard in June 2015 has now revised it based on RTI information received. You can download a Revised Briefing Paper (July 2015) in english here. A hindi version of the briefing paper is available here: दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय का जीन […]
GM Free Coalition warns the GEAC against Genetically Modified (GM) MUSTARD commercialization
New Delhi, June 17, 2015: “Bt Brinjal then, GM Mustard now – will GEAC repeat the mistake of thrusting Genetically Modified food onto our plates? We will strongly oppose any attempt to approve commercialization of GM mustard,” warned the Coalition for GM Free India. The Coalition while releasing a Briefing Paper on Delhi University’s GM […]
Maharashtra suspends GM crop field trials
We understand from media reports today that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra has forwarded citizens’ concerns and objections to the State Level Committee looking into the matter of NOCs for GM (Genetically Modified) crop field trials, and had ordered for suspension of trials till the objections are addressed. As signatories, along with a cross section […]
GENETICALLY MODIFIED RAPESEED OR CANOLA OIL HEALTH BENEFITS UNSUBSTANTIATED AND SCIENTIFICALLY NOT PROVEN” SAYS THE ADVERTISING STANDARDS COUNCIL OF INDIA, ASKS ADVERTISER TO WITHDRAW OR MODIFY THE ADS BEFORE 15 DEC, 2014
New Delhi, Decembery 5th 2014: Jivo Canola oil, the largest importer of Canadian Rapeseed or Canola Oil in India, has been asked to withdraw or modify its advertisements latest by the 15th of December, by the Advertising Standards Councils of India. ASCI has concluded that the claims that genetically engineered Canola oil consumption is the […]
Urgent MoEFCC intervention demanded to stop illegal entry of Bt brinjal from Bangladesh
To: December 2nd 2014 Shri Prakash Javadekar, Hon’ble Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India. Dear Sir, Sub: Immediate intervention sought from your Ministry on illegal transboundary entry of Bt brinjal into India from Bangladesh – reg. Namaste! This is to bring to your kind attention fresh concerns with GMOs and threat […]
Why are Open Air Deliberate Releases of GMOs in the name of Field Trials a matter of concern?
We have uploaded a presentation here which is specifically around open air deliberate releases of new GMOs in the name of Field Trials. The larger question around all GMOs is of course there – that these are unneeded and unwanted. As Jairam Ramesh once put it, here is a technological solution, running around looking for a […]
BKU to MoEFCC: GMOs are unneeded and unsafe – urge you to cancel field trial approvals given by regulators
To: Shri Prakash Javadekar, Central Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change (I/C), Government of India, Paryavaran Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi. Respected Shri Javadekar, Sub: GMOs are unneeded and unsafe – urge you to cancel field trial approvals given by regulators. Respected Sir, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) is the largest farmers’ union in the […]
Coalition for a GM-Free India asks Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change to annul the hasty approvals for open-air trials of GMOs by GEAC
New Delhi, July 19, 2014: The apex biotechnology regulator, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) met and approved several applications for field trials of different genetically modified (GM) crops (rice, mustard, chickpea etc.) yesterday. So far, it is reported that 60 of the pending 70 applications have been cleared. This spate of approvals is happening […]
Copy of the file notings by Jayanti Natarajan surfaces showing strong opposition to the Union of India’s Joint Affidavit in Court
New Delhi, 23rd April, 2014: A Hearing that was slated to take place today in the Supreme Court, in continuation to the arguments heard yesterday in the GMOs PIL by Aruna Rodrigues et al, got postponed for a later date1. On a day when the Supreme Court was expected to take a decisive view on […]
Veerappa Moily claims that he has not approved any field trials, when confronted by farmers
South Indian farmer organizations, led by KRRS march to Veerappa Moily’s House to protest field trial approvals Bangalore, 18th March, 2014: When confronted by scores of farmers of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers’ Movements (SICCFM), from four states of South India, Veerappa Moily, the Union Minister for […]
Activists slam Veerappa Moily for putting corporate profits before nation’s interests
New Delhi, March 4th, 2014: Activists from Greenpeace India along with members of Coalition for a GM Free India today registered a strong protest against the way the Union Minister of Environment and Forest, Veerappa Moily has taken the side of multinational seed companies to permit hundreds of field trials of GM crops across the […]
Clearing GM field trials will put India’s food, farming and environment at immense risk! Coalition for a GM Free India condemns Moily’s action
New Delhi, 27th Feb, 2014: Reacting to the news on approvals of numerous field trials of GM crops, including that of GM varities of staple crops like rice and wheat, by the Minister of Environment and Forests, Veerappa Moily, the Coalition for a GM Free India condemned the action of the minister as unscientific, anti […]
"Mr. Prime Minister – You are wrong. GM crops are dangerous, and there is sound scientific evidence", says Coalition for GM Free India
Coalition challenges the PM to prove that concerns about Bt Crops are prejudiced. New Delhi, 4thFeb, 2014: Reacting to the promotional statement on Genetically Modified crops by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in his inaugural address at the Indian Science Congress which started in Jammu yesterday [1], the Coalition for a GM Free India […]
Coalition urges MoEF to uphold mandate of his Ministry
New Delhi, 01/01/2014. To Shri.Veerappa Moily, Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Government of India. Dear Sir, Sub: Bringing to your attention concerns related to GMOs in our environment including for field trials, and urging you to protect […]