Govt seeks revised bio-safety report of transgenic mustard

Biotech regulator GEAC has asked Delhi University's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, which is seeking permission for environmental release of transgenic mustard, to "revise" the bio-safety report following concerns raised by farmers' bodies and NGOs, Lok Sabha was informed today.

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has received representations from various NGOs and farmers' bodies, expressing concern over the safety of transgenic mustard and is following a case by case assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops taking into account the "safety, efficacy, stability and agronomic performance", the government said.

 

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, in written reply in Lok Sabha, said GEAC has recently received the application for environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH, developed by Delhi University's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, using barnase, barstar and bar genes.

Javadekar said the bio-safety dossier submitted by the applicant includes detailed studies to assess the impact on environment and human health in accordance with the protocols prescribed by the review committee on genetic manipulation and Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee.

"These include expression studies, toxicity assessment, sub-chronic toxicity assessment, allergencity, compositional analysis and nutritional value, weediness potential, crossibility, pollen flow, gene flow studies, impact of soil organism etc.

"GEAC, in its meeting held on February 5, has directed the applicant to revise the bio-safety dossier as per comments of the sub-committee constituted by GEAC and inputs received from the Department of Biotechnology," he said.