The Centre is preparing an advisory to states and Union Territories to guard against "suspected illegal cultivation of Genetically Modified Crops", days after NCP president SharadPawar made a renewed pitch for GM crops. Farmer groups in Maharashtra and Telangana face legal issues too over alleged sowing of 'illegal GM crops'.
Several cases of cultivation of illegal GM crops have been reported from across states in the last few months, prompting the Centre to step in
A draft advisory has already been shared with GEAC which is studying it closely to ensure effectiveness on ground, a source told ET. The advisory/protocol will be in line with the provisions under the “Rules for the Manufacture/Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms, Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989” under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The idea is to prepare an action plan once it is established that GM crops are grown illegally. The advisory will detail steps taken to sanitise the site of cultivation to ensure that there are no biosafety implications of the illegal cultivation. It will also clearly specify on how to dispose such GM seeds and produce.
Currently, the only GM crop the government permits for cultivation is Bt Cotton. GM Brinjal was close to getting approval for cultivation in 2009-10, but environment minister Jairam Ramesh did not give the final nod.
Though legally non-permissible, reports have surfaced over the last several months of cultivation of genetically modified Brinjal, Soyabean and varieties of cotton.
The World Bank has approved a loan of Rs 630 crore to Assam Inland Water Transport (AIWT) for modernisation of the state’s passenger ferry services on Brahmaputra and other rivers.
Under the Assam Inland Water Transport Project (AIWTP), the infrastructure of passenger ferry services will be improved and the capacity of institutions running the inland water transport will be strengthened. Better-designed terminals and energy-efficient vessels will make the ferry services more sustainable with least disruption to nature.
Assam’s ferry services are integral to the lives of the people living both in the Brahmaputra Valley and Barak Valley. With better navigation aid, appropriate safety gear and suitable marine engines, the ferry services are expected to get more reliable and safer.
The project will also improve the infrastructure of ferry services and focus on safety of women passengers. The terminals will have better access, lighting and signages, while the new vessels will be equipped with individual seats and washroom facility.
A strengthened regulatory regime will ensure reduced overloading, adherence to time schedule and better crew standards.
A new World Economic Forum report has warned of huge risks to the economy from the biodiversity loss and climate change as businesses are more than dependent on nature.
Releasing the Nature Risk Rising Report ahead of its 50th Annual Meeting, the World Economic Forum said about 25 per cent of earth's assessed plant and animal species are threatened by human actions, with a million species facing extinction.
Expressing apprehension, the report said, over half the world's total GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services and, as a result, exposed to risks from nature loss.
The report said that China, the European Union and the US have the highest absolute economic value in nature-dependent industries.
Pollination, water quality and disease control are three examples of the services that an ecosystem can provide. Construction, agriculture & food and beverages are the three largest industries that depend most on nature. As nature loses its capacity to provide such services, these industries could be significantly disrupted.
This World Economic Forum report, produced in collaboration with a British study team, found that many industries have significant “hidden dependencies” on nature in their supply chain and may be more at risk of disruption than expected.
Myanmar and China signed 33 bilateral deals including agreements, MoUs, exchange letters and protocols on the concluding day of the two day visit by the Chinese President Xi Jinping to Myanmar. A large number of these deals relate to the implementation of the China Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by China.
The two countries signed a concession agreement and shareholders’ agreement for the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) deep seaport project. The port will link the land locked Yunnan province of China directly to the Indian Ocean allowing China to bypass the strait of Malacca through which it imports a sizeable amount of oil and gas.
Myanmar and China also signed 13 more agreements to strengthen collaboration in the infrastructure sector including roads, rail connectivity and power interconnection projects.
The two sides did not address a controversial $3.6 billion Beijing-backed Myitsone dam, where work has been stalled since 2011 due to local protests and cost considerations.
President Xi also met leaders from ethnic areas of Myanmar where civil conflict is going on and China supported infrastructure projects are underway.
The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping was also marked by the fact that no major new major projects were agreed upon between the two countries. Analysts point out that Myanmar remains skeptical and cautious of Chinese investments specially ahead of elections later this year.
President launches polio immunisation programme for 2020
No comments:
Post a Comment