SC asks Govt to publicly disclose data on field trials of GM crops

In what is likely to bring more transparency in the field trials of genetically modified crops...

In what is likely to bring more transparency in the field trials of genetically modified crops, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Union Government to display all data on the toxicity and allergenicity of GM crops on the website of Genetic Engineering Advisory Committee (GEAC), the regulatory body under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The private companies for long had been opposing the plea for disclosing details of their field trials on the ground that it is their confidential information. But now they will have to make public all findings of their field trials with regard to all GM food crops like okra, corn, mustard, rice etc, for which they had been given permission for cultivation.

“The GEAC should disclose the information related to genetically modified crops, which have been passed by the Committee,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran said. The court also asked the Government to ensure proper regulation while introducing GM crops on fields trials. It also asked GEAC to carry out research and prepare a report on the minimum distance that is required between a GM crop and other crops. As per an earlier order of the court, the distance or the buffer zone has been fixed as 200 metres between the two. The distance was based on GEAC’s recommendation for genetically modified rice.

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Government pleader Amarendra Sharan told the court that the information on BT Cotton was already on the public domain and the information on other seeds would be displayed in a few days.

Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Ltd (Mahyco), the seed partner of multinational agro-biotech major Monsanto Corporation, had moved the court against a CIC order seeking details of the safety test data generated during clinical trials of its genetically modified brinjal.