Question

Describe the responsibility of GEAC, set up by the Indian Government.

Answer 1

GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee) was set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to regulate research, testing and commercial release of GM crops, foods and organisms.

The objectives of GEAC are:

1. To permit the use of GM organisms and their products for commercial purposes

2. To adopt procedures for restriction, production, scale, import, export and applications of GM organisms

3. To approve for conduct of large scale field trials and release of transgenic crops in the environment

4. To authorise agencies or persons to have large scale production and release of GM organisms into the environment or curb and take strict actions against them .