New Delhi, India
March, 2009
Source:
Genetic Engineering Approval
Committee (GEAC)
The Ministry of Environment and
Forests, Government of India, New Delhi under the 'Rules for
Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro
Organisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989 (the
Rules, 1989)' notified under the Environment· (Protection) Act,
1986, is concerned with the environmental release of genetically
modified organisms and products thereof in the territory of
India.
The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) established
under Rule 4 of 'the Rules, 1989' has adopted 'event based
approval mechanism (EBAM) in respect of Bt cotton hybrids
expressing approved events in its meeting held on 2.4.2008 and
subsequently a new procedure under the EBAM was adopted by the
GEAC in its meeting held on 14.1.2009. In accordance with the
decision taken therein, the following new procedure shall be
made applicable in respect of Bt cotton hybrids expressing
approved events.
Full document:
http://www.envfor.nic.in/divisions/csurv/geac/New%20procedure%20under%20EABM.pdf
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India operationalizes event-based approval mechanism |
Source:
CropBiotech Update
Taking into consideration recommendations for
streamlining the current regulatory approval process
for GM crops, an "Event Based Approval Mechanism"
was adopted in respect of Bt cotton hybrids
expressing approved events in the Genetic
Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) meeting held
on 2 April 2008.
The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF)
recently notified a new procedure for commercial
release of Bt cotton hybrids expressing approved
events called "Event Based Approval Mechanism
(EBAM)" while considering the approval of a new
mechanism by the GEAC in its meeting held on 14 Jan
2009. This mechanism will be applicable to new
cotton hybrids expressing four approved events
including MON531 (cry1Ac gene) and MON15985 (cry1Ac
and cry2Ab genes) of Mahyco-Monsanto, Event-1
(cry1Ac gene) of JK Agri-Genetics and GFM Event (cry
1 Ab + cry Ac genes) of Nath Seeds.
The approval mechanism which is initially applicable
to approved cotton events, will speed up the
introduction of new GM crops to the country without
compromising biosafety and environmental safety. In
2008, 274 Bt cotton hybrids expressing four approved
events were marketed by 30 indigenous seed companies
throughout India. ISAAA estimates that a record 50
lakh small and resource-poor farmers planted these
Bt cotton hybrids over 7.6 million hectares, or 82%
of the total area under cotton, making India the
fourth largest adopter of biotech crops in the
world. It is noteworthy that for the seven-year
period, 2002 to 2008, there was a 150-fold increase
in Bt cotton in India, which is more than twice the
74-fold increase in global biotech crops during the
13-year period 1996 to 2008. |
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