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Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006

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Greenpeace wants probe into cattle death

About 1,600 head of cattle died in Andhra Pradesh's Warangal district after they grazed on Bt cotton fields

KILLING FIELDS?: Greenpeace activists dressed up as sheep and cows stage a protest outside the Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday to draw the Agriculture Ministry's attention to mysterious deaths of cattle in Warangal after grazing on Bt cotton fields. — Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI: Greenpeace activists on Tuesday urged Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to order a probe into the "inexplicable" death of 1,600 head of cattle in Andhra Pradesh's Warangal district after they grazed on Bt cotton fields.

Greenpeace demanded that the Minister withdraw all permissions for commercial release of the existing GE crops until the probe was completed.

The activists, dressed as cows and sheep and carrying a banner asking, ``Did GM Crops Kill Us?'' wanted to submit a memorandum to Mr. Pawar, who was not available.

Placards depicting upturned cows and sheep with the question, ``Can GM crops kill?'' were laid out outside the Ministry office.

Greenpeace genetic engineering campaigner Rajesh Krishnan said: "The impact of GM technology on human health and biodiversity remains unpredictable, untested and irreversible. Despite this, the government is on the verge of approving large-scale field trials of GM brinjal [eggplant], the first GM food crop in India.

"Indians will be the first people in the world to eat GM brinjal. It's vital that the Agriculture Ministry first address the question raised by the cows and sheep today ``Can GM Foods kill?'' — UNI

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