|
09 January 2004
Gene Campaign has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the
Supreme Court of India asking for:
-
The Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage
of Hazardous Micro organisms, Genetically Engineered
Organisms or Cells, 1989, to be brought in consonance with
Art. 14, 19, 21, 38, 47, 48, 48A read with 51-A(g) of the
Constitution. If the respondents fail to do so, then to
declare the Rules of 1989 as unconstitutional;
-
Direct the Respondents to observe a moratorium on various
permissions / approvals / trials concerning GEOs, in
particular of commercial nature, particularly of crops for
which India is a Centre of Origin / Diversity, till the
Rules are amended and a sound Regulatory and Monitoring
System is put in place.
Dr. Suman Sahai said they had to resort to this action since
all attempts by Gene Campaign to engage in a dialogue with the
policy makers failed to produce any response nor was there any
move to listen to stakeholder concerns. Gene Campaign has been
asking for greater transparency and participation in the
decision-making on GM crops. Gene Campaign’s principal concern
has been the lack of technical competence, transparency and
accountability in the policymaking, especially regulatory
bodies, which could have damaging consequences in a new
technology area like GM crops.
Gene Campaign has been pointing out that
almost all countries involved with GM crops have been going
through a review of their GM policies and systems of
regulation and oversight in the light of new evidence and that
India must do the same. This appeal has fallen on deaf ears.
The last straw, Dr. Sahai said was when
the recommendations that emerged from Multistakeholder
national symposium (organised by Gene Campaign) were rebutted
point by point by the Department of Biotechnology, saying
essentially that the system in place was perfect and no
changes or improvements were needed.
Gene Campaign then decided to approach
the Supreme Court to seek relief in the interest of public
health, environmental safety and livelihood security for the
farmers, and to develop a competent and transparent system for
GM crops in the country. |
