Biosafety in India

Despite conflicting claims about the performance of Bt cotton, in 2002 the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee approved its commercial cultivation in several states of north India. Judging from the lackadaisical manner in which the genetically modified cotton was handled in the southern and western states, serious doubts about the efficiency of the regulatory agencies persist. More democratic forms of decision-making that involve greater public participation and debate could be one of the more critical factors that contribute to an effective biosafety regime. For satisfactory implementation of the regulation it is also vital to strengthen institutional infrastructure.