India's GM field trials
Field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops in India that were halted September 22, 2006, by a court order—following a petition filed in the public interest—have resumed under more stringent conditions. The Supreme Court on May 8 ruled that GM field trials can continue if they are at least 200 meters away from fields growing the same, but non-GM, crop. Those in charge of GM field trials must ensure there is no contamination and must use validated test protocol to detect contamination at a level of 0.01%. Also, toxicity and allergenicity data for released crops are required, and a named field scientist will be responsible for each trial. Within three days following the ruling, the government's Genetic Engineering Approval Committee cleared the backlog of approvals for field trials of transgenic cauliflower, brinjal, rice, castor, groundnut, tomato and potato, besides approving 49 new Bacillus thuringiensis cotton hybrids for commercial cultivation. But the anti-GM lobby points out that the new permission is for ongoing and earlier approved trials only and not for new GM crops. Aruna Rodrigues, who filed the petition in the Supreme Court, says that “it will be virtually impossible for [GM crop growers] to carry out field trials given our small landholdings, with isolation distances of 200 meters.” She also points out that the court stipulation of the test protocol for contamination being announced before field trials means that genetic sequences will be disclosed. She says that “international labs will therefore be deployed by civil society for back-up tests to ascertain whether farmers' fields and food have been contaminated.” KSJ
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution