NEW DELHI, Dec 1: Enraged non-governmental organisations working in the field of agriculture and science and technology have demanded that the government cancel the licence given to the American MNC Monsanto for carrying out potentially dangerous crop research in India.After the controversy about the ``Terminator'' technology for self-destructing seeds, the NGO groups are protesting the latest crop trials on genetically altered cotton being conducted by Monsanto in some 40 sites in India.
Gene Campaign, an NGO working for the rights of Indian agriculturists, today demanded that the government cancel the licence granted to Monsanto to conduct field trials as it lacked transparency in its operations.
``The interests and goals of Indian agriculture and Monsanto company are diametrically opposite and the latter is developing Terminator technology for self-destructing seeds. What is good for Monsanto is not good for us,'' said Suman Sahai, convenor of Gene Campaign.
``Our goals are food and nutritionalsecurity for our people and maintaining genetic diversity and easy availability of seeds in all agro-climatic zones,'' Sahai said, adding that the goals of companies like Monsanto is ``commercial and monopolistic agriculture'', which would result in critical genetic loss, destruction of the ecosystem and eventually famines and starvation deaths.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.