INDIA--Illegal GE Cotton Crop
Will Be Destroyed

INDIA: GM COTTON CROP TO BE DESTROYED
19 October, By Chandrika Mago, Times of India

In a landmark decision, the Union environment ministry's Genetic Engineering
Approval Committee (GEAC) has ordered the destruction of genetically
modified cotton grown illegally over hundreds of hectares in Gujarat. It
has, however, decided to give the offending company one last chance to file
an explanation, and scheduled a meeting for this on October 31.

At a meeting last week GEAC decided to order the state bio-technology
co-ordination committee to destroy all standing crop. The crop is ready for
harvest, therefore there is immediate need to intervene. The permission of
GEAC is mandatory for the introduction of any GM food or crops.

The state committee is now expected to find out where all the crop has been
grown. In addition, since innocent farmers may suffer the loss of an entire
crop, the GEAC is also asking the state government to begin the process of
deciding compensation, if any. What remains now is the issue of liability.
Representatives of the offending company were expected to appear before the
GEAC but they sent a lawyer instead. Dissatisfied, the GEAC has decided to
give the company one more chance, on October 31.

Full article:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=1472227481