Govt to file affidavit in SC seeking field trials of GM crops

Government will file an affidavit in the Supreme Court pleading that field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops be allowed, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said today.

The minister assured that the government will take all safety precautions for conducting field trials of GM crops.

Hearing a petition against GM crops, the Supreme Court had set up a technical expert committee (TEC), which suggested an indefinite moratorium on such trials unless shortcomings in the regulatory process were plugged. But one member gave a dissenting note opposing the moratorium.

Subsequently, the apex court had asked the government to submit their stand on this issue.

"The matter is before the Supreme Court. We will have hearing sometime in the next month. We have to send a joint affidavit by Environment and Agriculture Ministries giving our views," Pawar said on the sidelines replying to a query on government plans to allow field trials of GM crops in the coming kharif season of this year.

Asked about the stand that government would take on the GM crop issue in the affidavit, he said: "Generally, our stand is that we want to continue research in both public and private sector. We want to continue field trails. Simultaneously, we are ready to take all precautions."

Pawar said the government has so far allowed commercial cultivation of Bt cotton and scientists have also developed transgenic crops like tomato. He mentioned about opposition to this technology affecting the morale of scientists.

"But the government has made it clear, particularly the Prime Minister, that we will continue to do field trials. We expect in some of the crops, we will be able to do something," Pawar said.

The government is not against GM crops, the Minister said, adding, "but we do not want to give a free hand also. We are cautious about it".

He assured that there would not be any "compromise" on norms for field trials. "GM crops will be released only after full satisfaction on the assessment of their impact on plans, animals and human beings," he added.

Earlier, addressing the Kharif conference, Pawar pitched for adoption of GM crops to increase farm yields to meet "burgeoning demand" of foodgrains,

"The government is committed to the use of biotechnology and other new technologies for agriculture development and backs field trials of GM crops with crop-specific dedicated monitoring protocols system," he added.