Tamil Nadu Dalit Women’s Movement Submits Petition in Gram Sabha

On the occasion of the 79th Independence Day, Gram Sabha meetings were held across Tamil Nadu. In that context, people from different movements in villages such as Kavirirajapuram, Koorma Vilasapuram (Tiruvallur District), Puthu Kesavaram, Ananthapuram, and Anaikattaputhur (Ranipet District), along with 10 other villages, submitted petitions demanding that the government should not allow genetically modified paddy varieties.

Similarly, in the Gram Sabha meeting at Perumoochi, the Dalit Women’s Movement also submitted a petition asking that a resolution be passed against permitting genetically modified paddy varieties. the GMO paddy varieties named Kamala and Pusa were introduced by the Indian government last May without undergoing any biosafety tests. These varieties could be dangerous to human health, livestock, and especially to the environment and natural resources.

Therefore, we requested to pass a resolution that Tamil Nadu Government should not grant permission for these GMO paddy varieties since no biosafety checks, transparent studies, or field trials have been carried out.