KumKum Dasgupta, The Central Information Commission, which was set up under the Right to Information Act in 2005, did not mince words on Tuesday when it directed the ministry of environment, forest and climate change to reveal safety data regarding trials of genetically modified (GM) mustard without further delay, noting that “any attempt to postpone or delay the disclosure will block the public discussion” on the controversial issue.
In his order, information commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu said that the information sought is of “high public importance, concerning public health, and it should have been in (the) public domain”.