Over 100 doctors from across the country have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop the environmental release of genetically-modified mustard DMH-11 and its two parental lines which are tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium.

In a letter, they said they were not opposed to application of gene technologies in medicine, as it was done after thorough testing and consumed by individual choice.

“The GMO-mediated medicines are prepared in contained conditions without any release of GMOs into the environment and can be halted or recalled,” they said.

The signatories include Farokh E. Udwadia, Ramakant Deshpande, Gopal Kabra and Rupal M Dalal.

“However, GM in agriculture and food is both uncontrollable and irreversible and affects both present and future generations. It involves modified heritable material that has the ability to procreate and spread in living organisms,” they said in the letter.

“Once environmentally released, GM mustard will spread and so will the use of glufosinate. As medical professionals, we feel it is our duty to warn about the serious adverse impacts of herbicide-tolerant GM crops,” they said.

Independent test laboratory

Making an appeal to ban all HT crops, the doctors have called for a halt to releases of all GM crops until an independent test laboratory.

“We appeal you to ensure uprooting of all DMH-11 mustard that has been planted to prevent the accidental or deliberate spread of a GM HT mustard in the country,” they said.

They also called for immediate halt of illegal spread of GM crops and illegal use of herbicides.

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