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Gene Campaign has sought information from the Ministry of
Environment and Forest (MoEF) on specific issues related to GM
crops like Risk and Cost benefit analyses of GM crops, various
GM crops under trial, Bt Cotton approval, food and feed safety
tests, regulatory competence etc, and has asked for permission
to inspect all the files and file notings dealing with
bio-safety testing of Bt Cotton leading to its approval for
commercial release. The information was requested through six
different applications in December 2005 in the manner
prescribed by the Ministry and the requisite fee was paid. We
asked the Ministry to intimate us date and time for
inspection. Instead of replying within thrity days as the Act
specifies, the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO)
replied after more than one and a half months, and that too in
a very inadequate way. Some of the queries were transferred to
the Department of Biotechnology, a little information was
provided for some, and the rest were denied citing vague
grounds like no priovision for the same in the RTI Act.
We filed an appeal with the Appellate Authorrity in march 2006
against the reply of the Public Information Officer. In our
appeal, we pointed out the relevant provisions of the Act.
Unfortunately, the Appellate Aithority of the Ministry did not
dispose of the first Appeal within the stipulated period of 30
days. We were compelled to file a second appeal with the
Central Information Commission, which is les pendens.
As regards the information sought that was transferred to the
Department of Biotechnology (DBT) by the PIO of the MoEF, we
again did not receive any reply, so we filed an appeal with
the Appellate Authority (AA), we were compelled to file a
second appeal with the Central Information Commssion, which is
also les pendens.
Gene Campaign is determined to continue with its efforts to
make the government machinery involved in these critical
issues accountable.
Information
received on Bt Cotton
-
Bt Cotton evaluation report- Central
zone 2004-05, Central Institute for Cotton Research Regional
Station, Coimbatore
-
Report of the Sub-Committee on Bt
Cotton And Related Issues (Recommendations for Streamlining
the current Regulatory Framework for Transgenic Crops),
submitted to Ministry Of Environment & Forests Govrnment Of
India
-
Evaluation Report- Transgenic Cotton
Hybrids With Delta Endotoxin Gene CryIA(c), South Zone,
submitted to Indian Council Of Agricultural Research
-
Evaluation Report- Transgenic Cotton
RCH Hybrids With Delta Endotoxin Gene CryIA(c), Central
&South Zone for 2002-03& 2003-04 Kharif seasons, submitted
to Indian Council Of Agricultural Research
-
Evaluation Report of Bt Cotton Hybrids-
Second year-2004, North Zone, submitted to Indian Council Of
Agricultural Research
-
Evaluation Report First year-2004 North
Zone (16 Bt hybrids), submitted to Indian Council Of
Agricultural Research
-
Evaluation Report- Transgenic Cotton
Hybrids With Delta Endotoxin Gene CryIA(C), Central Zone,
submitted to Indian Council Of Agricultural Research
-
Evaluation Report- Transgenic Cotton
Hybrids With Delta Endotoxin Gene CryIA(C), North Zone,
submitted to Indian Council Of Agricultural Research
-
Evaluation of Bt Cotton Hybrids- Final
Report, submitted to Indian Council Of Agricultural
Research, New Delhi
-
Bt Cotton evaluation report- South
Zone, 2004-05
Information
received on Bt Brinjal
-
Bt brinjal development: List of studies
conducted
-
Summary Notification Information Format
For The Release Of Genetically Modified Higher Plants (
Angiospermae and Gymnospermae)
-
Protocol of study on Mucous Membrane
Irritation test of transgenic eggplant- Brinjal- Institute
for toxicological Studies
-
Studies in Bt brinjal- Presentation to
GEAC May 22, 2006 by MAhyco
The Ministry of Environment & Forests has been compelled to
refund the amount of Rs 1526 that it had charged Gene
Campaign for photocopying documents related to the query filed
under RTI on biosafety tests for Bt cotton.
The information was not provided within 30 days of receiving
the request for information. 30 days is the time stipulated
under the RTI Act for providing information. Organistations
using the RTI Act should be vigilant about clause 7(6) of the
RTI Act which provides for the refund of money if information
is not given in time .
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