 "Representational image")
A Left-leaning farmers’ organisation has demanded tough action against US-based agricultural firm Monsanto and its Indian partner, Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco), for alleged criminal negligence, resulting in large-scale cultivation of unapproved genetically modified (GM) hybrid cotton crop.
Recent news reports, backed by laboratory tests and other empirical evidence, suggested that GM cotton seed with twin transgenic traits of herbicide tolerance and bollworm resistance — popularly known as Glycel Bt Cotton —was being cultivated across major cotton-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharahstra, and Telangana. However, it has no seal of approval from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) of the Ministry
