Kraft Foods are in trouble again. On February 6, 2002, thousands of consumer activists in over 170 cities across the US, Canada and Australia launched a campaign calling for Kraft Foods to remove genetically engineered (GE) ingredients from its products.
They also called for safety testing and labeling of foods. Kraft Food's GE products were neither tested nor labeled.
Kraft Foods, a subsidiary of Philip Morris, is the largest food and beverage company in the US. Independent testing released by the Genetically Engineered Food Alert Coalition has confirmed the use of GE ingredients, including engineered corn and soy.
In September 2000, the Coalition had discovered StarLink(tm) — a genetically engineered corn not approved for human consumption; it had known allergens.
Mindless machines: A two day Salt Desert Car Rally is being organised from February 9 by the Vadodara based Motor Sports Association of Gujarat. Flaunted as a "test of endurance for man and machine", the route covers 700 kms, with one part going
through the Little Rann of Kutch Sanctuary.
The Rann is home to the wild ass, a breeding ground for flamingo, bustard populations, spiny tailed lizards, to name just a few endangered/endemic species. It is also home to nomadic pastoral people.
If the rally is permitted, it will be a violation of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Making a mockery of the law, the rallyists have been re-labelled 'tourists'. Locals fear, they will cause immeasurable damage to the ecosystem and wildlife. Is
anyone listening?
Toxic terrorism: India continues to be a willing dumping ground. According to the NGO Corpwatch, 30,000 tonnes of scrap from the WTC wreckage has been exported to Chennai. Concerns over the potential contamination of the steel scrap has alarmed
environmental groups which say that workers may be exposed to the harmful toxins while handling the scrap. So what about war against toxic terrorism?
Night vigil: Icy winds. Cold wave. Medha Patkar and hundreds of villagers from the Narmada valley continue their night vigil under the sky in Delhi's VVIP turf. They are evicting people without rehabilitation in MP and Gujarat. CM Digvijay Singh is
alleged to have made a backdoor deal with the PM and Narendra Modi. Is this fair play?
(If you feel for Planet Earth, then send your feedback to Earthwatch1@rediffmail.com)
