Side Event

Legal Action to Improve Biosafety in India: A Panel Discussion

Organizer
Gene Campaign, Cecoedecon, FTN Asia

Date and Time
14 May 2008 13:15 - 14:45

Meeting
Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (BS COP MOP 4)

This side event will revolve around efforts of civil society actors in India to effect policy changes on biosafety, by engaging with the judiciary. CSOs , particularly Gene Campaign, have filed public interest litigations in the Supreme Court of India, seeking its intervention to improve biosafety regulation. The discussion will cover Gene Campaign's writ petition of 2004 praying for changes in the regulatory system and the petition of 2007 challenging the de-regulation of GM food in India. It will also deal with the efforts of CSOs to access information on transgenic research, field trials and biosafety, with the help of the newly enacted Right to Infomation Act, 2005.