Gm Mustard

Govt moves to tighten rules for transparency in GM crop panel decisions

To implement these measures, experts will need to submit written declarations outlining any "conflict of interest" when they join the committee

SC gives spilt verdict on pleas challenging release of GM Mustard

The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a split verdict on the validity of the Centre's 2022 decisions on the environmental release of mustard hybrid DMH-11 for seed production and testing. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol heard pleas challenging the October 18, 2022, decision of the GEAC -- the country's regulator for genetically modified organisms -- recommending environment release and the subsequent decision on October 25, approving the environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11. After hearing the pleas, the bench gave a divergent opinion. The bench directed the issue to be placed before the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud for adjudication by the appropriate bench. However, both the judges were unanimous in directing the Centre to formulate a national policy on Genetically Modified (GM) crops. The bench directed that the environment ministry will undertake a consultation process with all the stakeholders and experts, preferably in four months

Mustard seed output may touch all-time high of 12 mn tonnes this year: SEA

In India, rapeseed and mustard accounts for nearly one-third of edible oil produced through primary sources, making it the country's key edible oilseed crop

Supreme Court reserves order on environmental release of GM mustard

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on a pleas seeking moratorium on release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol heard submissions from Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicior General Tushar Mehta and advocates Prashant Bhushan and senior advocate Sanjay Parikh. The top court directed the parties to file written submissions by January 22. Observing that the issue of genetically modified crops is very technical and scientific, the top court on Wednesday had said it will decide a plea on environmental release of GM mustard on the basis of what is good for the country,. The apex court had earlier questioned the Centre about why reports of the court-appointed Technical Experts Committee (TEC) on biosafety of genetically modified (GM) crops were not looked into by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). It asked Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, whether th

GM Mustard: Why reports of panel not considered by GEAC, SC asks Centre

The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Centre about why reports of the court-appointed Technical Experts Committee (TEC) on biosafety of genetically modified (GM) Crops were not looked into by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol asked Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, whether the GEAC or a sub-committee of experts ever considered the reports filed by TEC before the October 25, 2022 decision to approve the environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11. The attorney general said being a statutory body, the GEAC is not supposed to go into these reports but has considered every relevant scientific finding before giving the go-ahead for the environmental release. Responding to the top government law officer's contention, Justice Nagarathna said, "The reason why we are asking this is because GEAC was not working in a vacuum. It is not unguided. These are the reports including a

SC starts hearing pleas challenging commercial release of GM mustard

The bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol asked the petitioners how much time they would take to argue the matter

SC defers GM mustard hearing to Nov 21; experts say trials may be delayed

The ideal time to sown mustard hybrid for North India is Nov first week

Low weight not a negative for GM mustard DMH-11, says Deepak Pental

Says yield as against ICAR's check variety not comparable as parent gene same

In trials, genetically modified mustard's yield against peers under scanner

SC to take a call on further trials on October 10

Pro-GM groups upset over questions on environmental impact of GM mustard

Delhi University's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants and the National Dairy Development Board are the joint applicants for GM mustard

SC seeks response on plea for withdrawal of undertaking on GM Mustard

The Supreme Court Tuesday sought the response of NGO 'Gene Campaign' and others on the Centre's plea seeking withdrawal of its oral undertaking of November 2022 that it will not go ahead with the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) mustard in the country. A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan took note of the Centre's petition and issued notices to the NGO, which had filed the PIL on the issue way back in 2004, and others including activist Aruna Rodrigues. The Centre, in a fresh application filed in the pending cases, has sought withdrawal of the oral undertaking given by an additional solicitor general that it will maintain status quo on commercial cultivation of GM Mustard. Lawyer Aparna Bhat, appearing for the NGO, sought time to file the response, saying the plea was submitted late last night. We have to file a response. They (Centre) want to withdraw the undertaking that they had given this court. This has to be heard and, without our ..

Govt 'misleading' SC on herbicide-tolerant nature of GM mustard: Coalition

The government is allegedly misleading the Supreme Court on the herbicide-tolerant (HT) nature of GM mustard and is trying to "criminalise" farmers for using herbicide on the crop, a group of NGOs opposing genetically modified crops has said. In a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, the Coalition of GM-free India also alleged the government is ignoring the clear recommendation by the court-appointed technical expert committee (TEC) for a ban on HT crops in India. "The Union of India is misleading the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India with an assurance that GM mustard is not an HT crop. By repeatedly giving this assurance that GM mustard is not a herbicide-tolerant crop, the Government of India is trying to circumvent the clear recommendation by the court-appointed TEC for a ban on HT crops in India," the letter read. The government is instead seeking to "criminalise" farmers who use herbicide on GM mustard, it said. The approval letter issued by the Genetic Engineeri

GM mustard not developed as herbicide-tolerant, Centre tells SC

Top court says it is it is more concerned about the risk factors of GM Mustard

GM Mustard: It's risk factor which concerns us more, observes SC

The Supreme Court observed on Tuesday it is more concerned about the risk factors than anything else when it comes to the conditional approval granted by the Centre for environmental release of genetically modified (GM) Mustard. On October 25 last year, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Union environment ministry had approved the environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11 and the parental lines containing barnase, barstar and bar genes so they can be used for developing new hybrids. The apex court is hearing separate pleas by activist Aruna Rodrigues and NGO 'Gene Campaign' seeking a moratorium on the release of any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment pending a comprehensive, transparent and rigorous bio-safety protocol in the public domain conducted by agencies of independent expert bodies the results of which are made public. The matter came up for hearing on Tuesday before a bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and B

GM Mustard won't solve India's edible oil import problem, says Ashok Gulati

Gulati says he is in support of GM mustard, but to say that it will solve India's problem of edible oil imports is a stretch

Govt rebuts activists claims on violations in GM mustard appraisal

The Union Environment Ministry on Saturday rebutted the claims made by activists that statutory regulations were violated during the appraisal and approval of GM mustard in India, saying the product was conditionally cleared only after stakeholder consultation. The Coalition of GM-free India, a group of NGOs opposing genetically modified crops, had on Friday released a report alleging that no (independent) health expert ever participated in GM mustard appraisal. In a response issued on Saturday, the ministry said: "The Assessment of Food and Environmental Safety (AFES) report prepared by the sub-committee in 2016 with regard to the biosafety dossier of GM mustard was uploaded on the ministry's website for inviting comments by the public for a period of 30 days (from September 5 to October 5, 2016). "Further, the entire dossier was also made available for review by the public in the ministry's office for the same duration," it said. "The conditional environmental release of GM musta

2022: When high prices ate into rural earnings more than in urban areas

War, weather and excess liquidity impacted Bharat, though year-end saw things looking up a bit

GM mustard (DMH-11) may not solve India's edible oil import problem: ICAR

Indian Institutions engaged in developing GM seeds for 13 crops

What is a genetically modified crop? And why is it important to India?

The govt has cleared the 'environmental release' of a genetically modified variety of mustard. The move has been challenged in the apex court. But exactly are they? And, what's the around them?

Skewing the mustard field: The Yellow Revolution's revival needed

Claims that GM mustard will lead to increased yield are incorrect; we must focus on other solutions