GM crops: Govt slams report

Slamming the basis of recommendation for a 10-year moratorium on the field trials of GM crops, the Centre on Friday described the Technical Expert Committee's (TEC) report as "scientifically flawed" and "arbitrary" while urging the Supreme Court to let them continue with it under strict monitoring and as per internationally accepted norms.

Opposing the TEC's interim report that had advocated for the cessation in view of possible undesirable consequences, the Centre's affidavit said field trials should be allowed considering its implication on food security.

"It is submitted that the interim report of TEC has been examined and it has been found that the report is scientifically flawed, does not address the terms of references (TOR) and has not only exceeded the mandate assigned to TEC but is also outside the scope of the writ petition itself and therefore merits outright rejection," said the affidavit which was read out in the court by Attorney General G E Vahanvati.

The government said there was no evidence on record that TEC visited field trial locations, bio-safety related testing centres of private and public firms, which carried out tests, or that any critical analysis was undertaken of papers presented to the TEC by government departments.

"The tone and setting of the report displays an intellectual bias and is based solely on administrative issues and not on sound scientific logic. The 10-year moratorium is going to undermine the existing two decade global experience and is completely arbitrary," the affidavit said.

A Bench led by Justice Swatanter Kumar appointed former director general, Indian Council for Agriculture Research, R S Paroda as another member of the panel and asked it to give its final report in six weeks.

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