GMO REGULATIONS IN INDIA AND THEIR WEAKNESS

In India, the Genetically Modified Organisms are regulated under the Environment Protection Act 1986 (EPA). In addition the Indian biosafety regulatory framework comprises 1989 "Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms, genetically Modified Organisms and Cells" (1989 Rules), and Department of Biotechnology guidelines, the 1990 "Recombinant DNA Safety Guidelines" (1990 DBT Guidelines) and 1994 "Revised Guidelines for Safety in Biotechnology" (1994 DBT Guidelines) and 1998 "Revised Guidelines for Research in Transgenic Plants and Guidelines for Toxicity and Allergenicity Evaluation of Transgenic Seeds, Plants and Plant Parts" (1998 DBT Guidelines).  

The objective of EPA is protection and improvement of the environment. The Act calls for the regulation of Environment Pollutants, defined as any solid, liquid or gaseous substance, present in such concentration that tend to be injurious to the environment. The 1990 and 1994 DBT guidelines recommend appropriate practices, equipments and facilities necessary for safeguards in handling GMOs in agriculture and pharmaceutical sectors. These guidelines cover the R&D activities on GMOs, transgenic crops, large-scale production and deliberate release of GMOs, plants, animals and products into the environment, shipment and importation of GMOs for laboratory research. The 1998 DBT guidelines cover areas of recombinant DNA research on plants including the development transgenic plants and their growth in soil for molecular and field evolution. It also calls for the toxicity and allergenicity data for ruminants such as goats and cows, from consumption of transgenic plants. It also requires the generation of data on comparative economic benefits of a modified plant.