Lok Sabha Question No. 4169 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-28
Subject: Field Trials of GM Crops
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4169

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2017

## Field Trials of GM Crops

## 4169. SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) appointed by the Supreme Court  on  open  air  release  of  genetically  modified  organisms  including  field  trials  and cultivation  had  submitted  two  reports  that  highlighted  certain  regulatory  gaps  and suggestions for improving the bio-safety regulation in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether five members of the TEC had recommended that the GM crop field trials be put on hold till all recommendations are implemented while the sixth member, recommended that the existing safety norms  prescribed by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), for conduct of field trials are adequate and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  not  accepted  the  moratorium  recommendation  on  the grounds that current regulations and protocols followed in biosafety assessment are as per international best practices; and
- (e) if so, the details and the present status thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a), (b) & (c). The Technical Expert Committee (TEC) constituted by Hon'ble Supreme Court  of  India  had  submitted  two  reports  of  which  five  members  of  the  committee submitted one report and another report was submitted by one member separately. The five-member  committee  suggested  that  a  secretariat  comprising  of  dedicated  scientists with area expertise as well as expertise in biosafety needs to be established and specific sites  for  conducting  confined  field  trials  to  be  designated.  Dr.  R.  S.  Paroda,  Expert member has suggested capacity building initiatives to stakeholders for enhancing public awareness.

(d) & (e) Yes Madam. Union of India filed a counter affidavit stating that the regulatory mechanism  in  India  concerning  Genetically  Modified  Organisms  (GMOs)are  adequate and are stricter than the regulatory mechanism existing in other Countries and agreed to further strengthen the existing regulatory system. Accordingly, a Biosafety Support Unit (BSU)  having  multidisciplinary  experts  for  evaluation  of  applications  is  functioning under  Department  of  Biotechnology  which  actively  supports  Genetic  Engineering Appraisal  Committee  (GEAC).  GEAC  has  been  constituted  with  26  multidisciplinary experts with knowledge of Risk Assessment and other technical issues.

Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) have organized about 50 capacity building training workshops for stakeholders like regulators, scientists, media  personnel,  farmers,  students,  Department  of  custom,  plant  quarantine  and  State government officials. Several public awareness materials and knowledge products were prepared  in  eight  different  Indian  languages  namely  Hindi,  Marathi,  Punjabi,  Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu,  Kannada & Bangla and circulated & distributed among several Central and State agencies.

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