Panchayats seek clarifications from GEAC on GM crop field trials

New Delhi, June 21 (UNI) More than 80 Panchayats from across the country have sought clarifications from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) on the new condition for GM crop field trials in the country which requires crop developers to get prior permission from the concerned panchayat.

The Panchayats which sought clarification are from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The panchayats want GEAC to provide them information on what were the potential risks associated with GE crops and their open air field trials in addition to asking the regulator what accountability mechanisms exist in case of violations.

These letters were sent to the GEAC on the eve of its 78th meeting tomorrow, where the apex regulatory body is considering approvals to scores of field trials, including of GM food crops.

Earlier, in its December 13, 2006 meeting, GEAC had decided that applicants for GM food crop trials have to obtain prior permission from concerned panchayats.

Meanwhile, many members of the Coalition for GM Free India also wrote to the GEAC yesterday, reminding them about new orders and conditions related to GM crop field trials.

They reminded the GEAC that the Supreme Court, in its May 8, 2007 orders, had not vacated the September 2006 orders which imposed a stoppage on any further approvals.

The coalition members also pointed out that in the January 2007 meeting of the GEAC, the regulators have noted that the state level and district level committees meant to oversee trials, as per the Environment Protection Act [EPA], are not in place and things had not changed since then.

The Coalition members accused the GEAC of not discussing important issues like impacts of Bt Cotton on livestock, as pointed out by the animal husbandry department of Andhra Pradesh, in its haste to approve more and more GM crops.

They questioned the GEAC about the action taken (or lack of it) to fix liability on the concerned companies under the EPA penal clauses for violations pointed out by Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh government, reports of which were shared with the GEAC.

GEAC's inability to monitor open air field trials that it approves (based on DBT's approvals) has been documented again and again and in fact admitted by the GEAC itself in its meeting minutes.

In majority of cases, the regulatory body itself is not informed of where the trials are happening in the country.

State governments like Chattisgarh, which have inquired into the matter last year, have documented several violations and yet, no action has been taken by the GEAC on the matter. It is well known that across the world GE contamination scandals which led to serious economic losses for farmers have mostly arisen from lax field trials.

UNI