The Centre has informed the apex court that it is planning to set up a special authority to evaluate and regulate genetically modified crops and foods.
Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium has informed a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia that the proposed authority will look into the grievances of activists against genetically modified (GM) crops and try to resolve all the issues.
“We are looking at setting up a special authority to resolve such issues...it will also look into the issue of untested GM crops and foods,” Mr. Subramanium informed the apex court, and requested for adjourning the matter for eight weeks, which was accepted by the bench.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by environment scientist Vandana Shiva, who wants the court to strike down the government notification that allowed import and manufacture of GM foods and crops without passing through the mandatory tests.
The petitioner claimed that there is no regulatory and legal frameworks to assess, evaluate and regulate GM foods/ substances and their effect on human health.
On September 2007, the Centre had issued a notification exempting GM foods from mandatory approval from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC).
Ms. Shiva points out that despite the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act of 1986, which says proper sanction is required before sale, import or production of GM items, the government illegally granted a blanket exemption.
“While most countries are banning GM products after considering their serious health hazards, the Centre on the other hand are opening the floodgates of GM foods by relaxing and diluting the limitation imposed by the Environment Protection Act,” Ms. Shiva alleged in the PIL.
Shiva said the relaxation in the rules for GM crops will result in a dangerous situation where the country will be used as a dumping ground by MNCs.
