INDIA BUSINESS WORLD - NOVEMBER 16^th - NOVEMBER 30^th - 2007

SUPREME COURT ISSUES NOTICE TO CENTRE ON IMPORT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PROCESSED FOOD

The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging a notification that allows import of genetically-modified (GM) processed food without any regulatory checks and exempts them from compulsory labelling, a move alleged to be against public interests. A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan sought response from the ministries of environment and forests, food and food processing industries and the department of science & technology on a petition filed by Gene Campaign, the NGO opposed to commercialisation of GM crops without checks.