SC clears GM trials for approved crops, wants data on others

The Supreme Court today gave a go-ahead to the Centre to conduct field trials of those Genetically Modified crops approved by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee in April and May 2006 laying down stricter restrictions to avoid contamination.

The Supreme Court today gave a go-ahead to the Centre to conduct field trials of those Genetically Modified (GM) crops approved by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) in April and May 2006 laying down stricter restrictions to avoid contamination.

These crops, where trials may begin, include cotton and BT brinjal.

Following the day-long arguments, the three-member Bench, headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, also asked the Government to furnish an elaborate reply on the “implications and biological results of such trials particularly with regard to toxicity and allergic reactions of such trials.” Following this, the court will decide on whether to allow trials of all other GM crops.

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Agreeing with the arguments of Prashant Bhushan, counsel for petitioner Aruna Rodrigues, the court insisted on stricter conditions to be followed before conducting such trials.

The Bench directed the Government to increase the isolation distance up to 200 m between GM-planted fields and other fields to ensure the least chance of contamination. The court also asked for an independent scientist to be made responsible for ensuring that all conditions are complied with during the trials. The court allowed the commercial release of four approved varieties of Bt Cotton as well.