Experts Flay Swaminathan Panel Recommendations On GM Crops

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New Delhi, May 2: The novel system of single window clearance for commercial use of genetically-modified (GM) crops as suggested by MS Swaminathan panel has been severely criticised by experts.

The panel’s suggestion for final clearance by the user and promoter agencies like the Union agriculture ministry and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), pending setting up of the autonomous Agricultural Biotechnology Regulatory Authority (ABRA) has also come in for sharp criticism.

The Swaminathan panel has sought to reduce the powers of the existing regulator, Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) under the Union environment ministry “to mere environmental clearance,” vesting the powers for final clearance to ICAR and the agriculture ministry. The NGOs, namely Greenpeace and the Gene Campaign who were consulted in the process of the deliberations have complained about not receiving the final report while it has already been presented to the government.

The former regulator for GM crops in US, Dr Sivramiah (Shanthu) Shantharam, though welcoming the Swaminathan panel moving in the right direction to set up an autonomous regulatory authority for GM crops, has doubted to what extent the process would be autonomous in the interim arrangement vesting final clearance with the ICAR.

He said, “I am not certain how autonomous it would be under the aegis of ICAR which itself is an organ of the Union ministry of agriculture. In effect, the GM crops regulatory authority moves from one ministry to another with all its problems. There is a serious conflict of interest with ICAR as it will also be an applicant for regulatory clearance.”

Dr Shantharam further said, “Swaminathan panel also leaves behind the environmental clearance with GEAC. This cannot work very well in reality and will not be practical. How can the regulatory body give commercial clearance without having the authority for environmental clearance Both the decision making powers must vest with one body.”

The Swaminathan panel’s recommendation for single window clearance by ABRA is unique so far as such an arrangement exists nowhere in the world. Even in countries like US, the clearances are through three-tier process. Worldover, the user and promoter agencies are not vested with the authority for clearance. But the panel report has vested such powers with ICAR and the Union agriculture ministry. Experts have started casting doubts about the efficacy of such a single-window system of clearance and having a separate regulator solely for transgenic crops.