www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

At a time when GMP trade is being permitted in the country, the new
regulations proposed by the Union government is expected to keep check on
the illegal movement of GMOs. But there is more to the fact that genetic
engineering has brought in significant changes in Indian agriculture. The
fact that a million farmers have elected to plant Bt cotton over 13 lakh of
90 lakh hectare in 2005 is a classic example, April 2006 by Bhagirath
Choudhary.

The power of advanced biology embodied in the form of seeds has reached
every small and big farms in the country, outperforming the adoption rate of
the first green revolution. Imagine a single agri-biotech product assuring
250 lakh bales of cotton production, substantially reducing pesticide
sprays, lessening farmers? health suffering and making contribution in the
tune of Rs 2,000 crore to our farm economy.

Given that genetically modified products employ technological intervention
at the molecular level and resulting product incorporates pre-defined
changes in the genetic make-up, therefore, the regulatory bodies ensure that
these products undergo a rigorous biosafety and risk assessment. Indian
regulatory bodies have multi-pronged, multi-level, multi-party involvement
in undertaking scientific studies to ensure that the biotech products are as
safe as conventional products.

These regulations are further strengthened, as it requires public sector
institutions such as ICAR to undertake independent scientific studies and
experimentation of the GM products under regulatory review on agronomic
performance and environmental safety and submit its undisclosed data and
safety assessment to the regulatory bodies. After analysing the data
submitted by different agencies, the Genetically Engineering Approval
Committee (GEAC)validates claims and authorises the applicants to
commercialise seeds for a particular agronomic zone suitable for cultivation
of the same. This is what had happened in the case of approval of the Bt
cotton. It was a long saga of food, feed, agronomical and environmental
safety assessment.

India has one of the oldest and robust regulatory regime to handle
genetically modified products on case-by-case basis. The regulatory system
has been improved many times keeping in view the pace of biotechnological
advancement and trade related international obligations. Recently, the
ministry of commerce has notified new regulation for import of GM products
under the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-09. The new rules would authorise the
GEAC to handle all incoming GM materials. This is a commendable step, as
India didn?t have rules for bulk movement and there were lots of ambiguity
about the import of GM products. On one hand it would support single window
clearance system while on other hand, it would put immense pressure on the
GEAC to look into the nitty-gritty of each and every consignment. The latter
puts the country and consumers on backpedal, as it would demand approval for
each consignment causing delay and frustration. It is up to the GEAC to
devise simplified rules for bulk import of GM products that are safe and
widely consumed in developed countries. Similarly, the ministry of health
and family welfare has issued draft notification to introduce labeling of
genetically modified products to be sold in the country. It seems that the
labeling requirements are not well thought off and hurriedly notified
ignoring the reality of countries vast unorganised food supply chain.

[www.financialexpress.com]

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