On Friday, the Supreme Court is expected to hear a petition by anti-GMO (genetically modified organism) campaigner Aruna Rodrigues, who argues that the Centre’s preliminary clearance to GM mustard, named Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11), contravenes a 2013 report by a Supreme Court-appointed technical expert committee.

GM mustard, which received a nod from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, and was open for public consultation till Wednesday, is unlikely to be approved during the ongoing season, Anil M Dave, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, said on Thursday.

The Environment Ministry has received over 700 comments from various stakeholders, including farmers and researchers, on the Assessment of Food and Environmental Safety (AFES) report on environmental release of Genetically Engineered Mustard.

नई दिल्ली: जेनेटिकली मोडिफाइड यानी जीएम सरसों को सरकार की ओर से हरी झंडी मिलने या नहीं मिलने को लेकर बुधवार को जमकर घमासान मचा रहा। जैव प्रौद्योगिकी नियामक जीईएसी (जेनेटिक इंजीनियरिंग अप्रूवल कमेटी) के पास अपना पक्ष रखने के अंतिम दिन विभिन्न संगठनों के बीच बुधवार को भी जमकर आरोप-प्रत्यारोप का दौर चला। स्वयं सेवक संघ के सहयोगी संगठन स्वदेशी जागरण मंच की ओर से प्रधानमंत्री को लिखे पत्र में वैज्ञानिक दीपक पेंटल का नाम लेकर कड़ी आलोचना की गई है।

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is inundated with hundreds of faxes and emails requesting Narendra Modi to step in and stop a pending approval to the controversial genetically modified (GM) Mustard. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment had set October 5, 2016, as the last day to receive public feedback on this controversial crop. Only a month’s time was allocated for the public feedback.

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti last Sunday, people in huge groups came together to celebrate ‘Jashn-e-Sarson’ at Dilli Haat, INA. An initiative of the Tourism and Art and Culture Language departments of the Delhi government, the event was aimed at raising awareness by collecting feedback about genetically modified mustard (GM mustard) which might soon be approved by the central government.

Moga, October 5: Thousands of farmers held a massive rally at the new grain market here today protesting against the SAD-BJP government’s “anti-farmer and pro-corporate” policies.

Even as a designated regulatory panel has got a favourable opinion on genetically-modified (GM) mustard from its bio-safety committee, several states, including Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the two top producers of the oilseed, have come out against it. The development could thwart the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee’s (GEAC) reported plan to allow commercial cultivation of a GM mustard variety developed by scientists at Delhi University. If allowed, GM mustard will be the first genetically-engineered food crop to be cultivated in India; the previous UPA government had put a moratorium on commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal in 2010.

NEW DELHI: A day after seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to ensure that no permission is given to the genetically modified (GM) mustard, the RSS-backed outfit - Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) - submitted a 'blank paper' to the central biotech regulator on Wednesday, the last day of the 30-day period meant to receive stakeholders' comments on the application of the transgenic variety of oilseed.

The Environment Ministry today refused to extend the October 5 deadline for receiving public feedback on the biosafety dossier prepared by its panel on GM Mustard, even as several organisations wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a ban on the hybrid product.