Why Himachal should remain GM-fee

Faced with challenges on multiple fronts, civil society groups within Himachal Pradesh are learning to react timely to issues requiring immediate attention. The interactive session on genetic modified (GM) crops organized under the aegis of National Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture (NASA) and attended by a number of Himachal-based groups in Shimla was a welcome step considering the seriousness of the issue. As suggested during the interaction, Himachal, having about 7.32 per cent of the national biodiversity, has much to lose in case its eco-system is contaminated due to the introduction of GM crops. The demand put forward by Dr Pushpa Mittra Bhargava for a 15-year moratorium on introducing GM crops seems justified, considering that there are still lots of uncertainties regarding how these GM crops would behave in natural surroundings.Read Full Story