Activists protesting the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops on Monday asked the country’s biotech regulator GEAC to take the review of environmental release of GM mustard, assigned to it by the Government, scientifically and with utmost “seriousness”.
In a letter to the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the activists under the umbrella of Coalition for a GM-Free India claimed that the GEAC went about “re-examination” of its decision for commercial release of GM mustard in a completely “facetious and non-serious way”.
The GEAC had recommended the commercial use of genetically modified mustard in a submission to the Environment Ministry last year. However, amid protest, the Government referred the issue of commercial release of GM mustard back to the GEAC after receiving representations from various stakeholders.
In the letter, which was also marked to Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury, the coalition said the minutes of the 134th meeting of GEAC was uploaded on Sunday.
“It is seen that GEAC decided that the applicant may be advised to undertake field demonstration on GM mustard in an area of five acres at two-three different locations with a view to generate additional data on honey bees and other pollinators and honey, and on soil microbial diversity,” the coalition said.
It said this decision of GEAC was an “extremely inadequate” in relation to the decision that the government was supposed to have taken, and the fact that GEAC was therefore asked to re-examine the issue of its clearance.
“In fact, the Government and GEAC have committed to the nation that there would be a review, and now GEAC is obligated to begin by first stating what its scientific review plan is, and not just have a 13-member meeting in which the review is degenerated to some minor decisions being reiterated,” it said.