Panel reviews bio-safety issues of GM mustard

The panel which was formed to review the technical details and bio-safety issue related to environmental release of Genetically Engineered (GE) mustard met here today.
Sources said that the sub-committee assessed various comments which the Environment Ministry had received after it put the bio-safety report on its website for public comments.
"The sub-committee met today. They will assess the comments and submit a final report later to the country's biotech regulator GEAC," a source said.
The country's biotech regulator GEAC had constituted a sub-committee to review the technical details and dossier related to environmental release of GE mustard.
The report was uploaded on the Ministry's website inviting comments from various stakeholders till October 5.

After receiving hundreds of comments from various stakeholders, the Ministry had forwarded it to the sub-committee.
Anti-GM crops activists and farmers have upped the ante against the authorities over the issue and even submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently demanding rejection of GM mustard to safeguard the interest of farmers, consumers and environment.