The ministry's Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the regulatory body to examine applications for release of GM products, had set up the eight-member subcommittee to examine the safety and performance dossiers of the GM mustard. "The subcommittee made some hard observations and even hinted at additional studies required. He declined to respond to queries about the specific questions the subcommittee had raised. The Union environment ministry has set October 5 as the deadline for public responses to the subcommittee's proposal for the authorisation of the release of GM mustard for cultivation. India, which allowed the cultivation of GM cotton in 2002, has seen dramatic yield increases in cotton over the past decade.

Source: The Telegraph September 15, 2016 21:11 UTC