However, such processes are being given a complete short shrift now, despite major lacunae in your regulation pointed out and proven time and again. These secretive processes, which are keeping out public scrutiny and public views on a very important matters that pertains to citizens is not acceptable. As a citizens’ alliance that represents hundreds of civil society groups across India, we would like the following

a) We request the GEAC to halt its processes immediately, and first put out the biosafety data of GM mustard in the public domain, and allow for a public scrutiny. As you can appreciate, citizens are not ready to depend on a small set of regulators, some of whom bring highly objectionable conflict of interest to the table, and in a regulatory body that does not have any representation from the Health Ministry. We request that the routine processing of this GM mustard commercialisation application be halted immediately and the entire biosafety data shared in the public domain.

b) We request that a delegation of representatives from this Coalition be allowed to make a presentation about our objections and concerns to the full committee of the GEAC, and we seek time for the same at the earliest.