The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recently amended the rules for selecting experts to the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). This committee plays a crucial role in regulating genetically modified (GM) seeds in India. The amendment introduces new guidelines to ensure transparency and accountability in the selection process and to address potential conflicts of interest among expert members.
Key Amendments to the Rules
- Disclosure of Interests:
- Expert members are now required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could affect their duties within the committee.
- Experts must take necessary steps to ensure that any conflict of interest does not influence their decisions regarding GM crops.
- Recusal in Case of Conflict of Interest:
- If an expert member has a direct or indirect association with a matter being discussed in a GEAC meeting, they must disclose it before the meeting.
- Unless explicitly requested by the committee, the expert is expected to recuse themselves from the meeting to avoid any bias.
- Professional Affiliations Disclosure:
- All selected members must fill out a form detailing their professional affiliations for the past decade before joining the committee. This ensures that any past associations are transparent and can be reviewed for potential conflicts of interest.
Background and Supreme Court Order
These amendments follow a Supreme Court order in July 2023, which directed the Centre to form a national policy on GM crops. The case in question involved a split verdict on the validity of the Centre’s 2022 decision to grant conditional approval for the environmental release of GM mustard crops. The final resolution on the release of GM mustard is pending a future Bench decision.
Conflict of Interest Allegations
The issue of conflict of interest in the GM crop case was raised after allegations in 2013 by an activist group, the Coalition for GM-Free India. The group claimed that one of the members of a Technical Expert Committee, appointed by the court, was running an organization funded by Monsanto, a multinational biotech and agricultural pesticides company. Monsanto was later acquired by Bayer CropScience Limited, a company with similar interests. This led to calls for stricter regulations to prevent conflicts of interest in the decision-making process.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
1. What is the role of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)?
A) To regulate genetically modified (GM) seeds in India
B) To approve environmental policies
C) To monitor pesticide usage
D) To manage agricultural production
Answer: A) To regulate genetically modified (GM) seeds in India
2. What is required from expert members under the new GEAC rules?
A) They must take a loyalty oath to the government
B) They must disclose any conflict of interest
C) They must submit annual reports on GM crops
D) They must conduct field studies on GM crops
Answer: B) They must disclose any conflict of interest
3. What must expert members do if they have a conflict of interest regarding a GEAC meeting?
A) Attend the meeting but remain silent
B) Disclose the conflict before the meeting and recuse themselves
C) Submit a written report on the matter
D) Continue attending the meeting without disclosure
Answer: B) Disclose the conflict before the meeting and recuse themselves
4. What did the Supreme Court order in July 2023 regarding GM crops?
A) Approval for the immediate release of GM mustard crops
B) The Centre must form a national policy on GM crops
C) A ban on all GM crops in India
D) A review of the GEAC’s regulations
Answer: B) The Centre must form a national policy on GM crops
5. Who was accused of a conflict of interest in the GM mustard case?
A) A member of the Supreme Court bench
B) A member of the Technical Expert Committee
C) A government official
D) A representative from Bayer CropScience
Answer: B) A member of the Technical Expert Committee