Shri Bhupender Yadav,
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,
Government of India.
Email: mefcc@gov.in, bhupender.yadav@sansad.nic.in

Dear Sir,

Sub: Strong objection to MoEFCC allowing GM soy meal for livestock feed and GEAC abdicating its regulatory responsibility

Namaste! It appears that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has conveyed to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the Government of India, through its letter dated on 6th August, 2021 that “since soya de-oiled and crushed cake does not contain any living modified organism, this Ministry (MoEF & CC) has no objection for import of soya cake or meal from environmental angle”. Such a clearance from MoEFCC is highly objectionable.

This amounts to GEAC abdicating its responsibility on safety assessment of GM soy feed. The EPA 1989 Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro Organisms / Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells are clearly applicable to not just Genetically Engineering Organisms or Living Modified Organisms, but also products and substances related to LMOs. The 1989 Rules refer to such products and substances in several clauses like Rule 2(1), 2(2), 3(1)(c), 4(3)(1), 7(1) etc. This clearly requires GEAC to perform safety assessment on products and substances derived from GMOs as well.

The GEAC cannot and must not abdicate its responsibility for regulating to protect the environment, nature and health, as given in the objective of the Rules. We therefore urge you to reconsider the decision of No Objection letter issued by your ministry for GM soy feed and ensure GEAC performs its duty.

Sincerely,

Kavitha Kuruganti
Coalition for a GM Free India

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