India has become
a Party to the first international regulatory framework in respect
of living modified organisms (LMOs) by submitting the instruments
of ratification of Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the UN
Headquarters. The Protocol seeks to ensure safe transfer, handling
and use of LMOs and protect biological diversity from the potential
risks posed by LMOs. The Protocol establishes procedures for
ensuring that countries are provided with necessary information
to make well informed and appropriate decisions before importing
LMOs. Forty-three countries have so far ratified the Protocol
which will come into force after seven more countries ratify
the same.
In the meantime,
the Ministry of Environment & Forests convened an Inter-Ministerial
Meeting on Genetically Modified Crop/Food Policy tomorrow. Besides
policy issues in respect of food crops, food products, commercial
crops and animal feed, the meeting will address the adequacy
of existing regulations in respect of GM imports, adequacy of
risk assessment and management, relative responsibility of various
ministries and agencies, issues of labelling, mechanism for
certification of products both for export and import , marketing
of transgenic seeds and mechanism to enhance public consultation
and consumer awareness. Senior officials from the Ministries
of Environment & Forests, Agriculture, Commerce, Health,
External Affairs and Food Processing Industries besides Department
of Bio-technology, Indian Council of Medical Research, Indian
Council of Agricultural Research etc. will participate in the
inter-ministerial deliberations.
