◊ By Pure & Eco India

In response to an intense demand from citizens for an extension of the deadline for feedback on FSSAI’s draft regulations on GM foods, the Food Safety Authority has extended the deadline to February 5th 2022.

However, the regulator has not committed to publish the draft regulations in vernacular languages, nor has it committed to holding widespread consultations all over the country, which were also the demands being put forward by citizens.

“This limited time extension is insufficient and insignificant. While it might be useful to some extent, this does not address what citizens have been asking for. We object to the fact that the regulator is ignoring what citizens are legitimately demanding for. Citizens want to engage with these regulations being proposed by FSSAI, since there is a wide demand from people of India who want to keep their food GM-free. That is why they want the local language versions of the draft regulations, and also are seeking consultations to be organised by the regulator. It does not appear that FSSAI is really serious in responding to citizens’ demand for safe food,” said the Coalition for a GM-Free India.

Since the extension decision was not announced till today morning, Coalition for a GM-Free India went ahead and sent its first response on the 14th of January. with more than 300 organisational/professional endorsements and this is available here: http://indiagminfo.org/2189-2/.

The Coalition pointed out to FSSAI that the draft regulations are being rejected for a variety of reasons, and that the proposed regulations should be revised drastically, to ensure that FSSAI would be able to fulfil its statutory mandate, and to keep out GM foods from our food chain.

Earlier, around 5,000 tweets were sent to FSSAI in a twitter storm in which hundreds of citizens participated, asking for an extension of the deadline.

Meanwhile, online petitions to FSSAI are still gathering thousands of signatures, pointing out to deep deficiencies in the way FSSAI is approaching the matter of a hazardous category of food, despite being the food safety regulator of the country!

https://change.org/GMFreeFood is one of the petitions. More than 50,000 citizens have, so far, signed these multiple letters, with the demand of keeping India’s food and farming systems GM-free being at the centre of these efforts. It is noteworthy that the largest number of signatories are from Gujarat, the home state of our Prime Minister and Union Health Minister.

“We urge the Health Minister, Dr Mansukh bhai Mandaviya, to intervene in this matter, and not leave this issue of great importance to only the regulatory body FSSAI, which has already failed citizens several times on this front,” said the Coalition in a press statement.