GM varieties: SC notice to ministries

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Ministries of Environment and Forest, Science and Technology and Agriculture on a petition by NGO Gene Campaign seeking a direction to them for making public data on toxicity and allergenicity of genetically engineered plant varieties.

Citing information obtained under the RTI Act, the NGO claimed a lot of critical data relating to environmental and health safety of GE plants had not been provided to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), the government body which sanctions field trials.

GEAC, however, was sanctioning field trials of insufficiently tested plants, it alleged.

It sought a moratorium on any field trial till a proper controlling and regulatory mechanism exists to check the potential health and environmental hazards of Genetically Modified Organisms.