Competent Authorities related to Manufacture, Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro Organisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells

By

(1) Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RDAC): This committee shall review developments in Biotechnology at national and international levels and shall recommend suitable and appropriate safety regulations for India in recombinant research, use and applications from time to time. The Committee shall function in the Department of Biotechnology.

(2) Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM): This committee shall function in the Department of Biotechnology to monitor the safety related aspects in respect of on-going research projects and activities involving genetically engineered organisms/hazardous microorganisms. The Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation shall include representatives of :

(a) Department of Biotechnology,  

(b) Indian Council of Medical Research, 

(c) Indian Council of Agricultural Research,  

(d) Council of Scientific and Industrial Research,  

(e) other experts in their individual capacity. Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation may appoint sub groups.

It shall bring out Manuals of guidelines specifying procedure for regulatory process with respect to activities involving genetically engineered organisms in research, use and applications including industry with a view to ensure environmental safety. All ongoing projects involving high risk category and controlled field experiments shall be reviewed to ensure that adequate precautions and containment conditions are followed as per the guidelines. The Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation shall lay down procedures restricting or prohibiting production, sale, importation and use of such genetically engineered organism of cells as are mentioned in the Schedule.

(3) Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC): This committee shall be constituted by an occupier or any person including research institutions handling microorganism/genetically engineered organisms. The committee shall comprise the Head of the Institution, Scientists engaged in DNA work, a medical expert and a nominee of the Department of Biotechnology. The occupier or any person including research institutions handling microorganisms/genetically engineered organisms shall prepare, with the assistance of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC) an uptodate on site emergency plan according to the manuals/guidelines of the RCGM and make available copies to the District Level Committee/State Biotechnology Co-ordination Committee and the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee.

***(1) Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) :

This committee shall function as a body under the Department of Environment, Forest and Wildlife for approval of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle. The Committee shall also be responsible for approval of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.

The composition of the Committee shall be

(i) Chairman-Additional Secretary, Department of Environment, Forests and Wild life Co-Chairman-Representative of Department of Bio-technology

(ii) Members: Representative of concerned Agencies and Departments, namely, Ministry of Industrial Development, Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Atomic Energy:

(iii) Expert members: Director General Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Director General-Indian Council of Medical Research, Director General-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Director General-Health Services, Plant Protection Adviser, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and storage, Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board and three outside experts in individual capacity.

(iv) Member Secretary: An official of the Department or Environment, Forest and Wild life.

The committee may co-opt other members/experts as necessary.

The committee or any person/s authorised by it shall have powers to take punitive action under the Environment (Protection) Act.

****Renamed as Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).

(4) State Biotechnology Co-Ordination Committee (SBCC): There shall be a State Biotechnology Coordination Committee in the States wherever necessary. It shall have powers to inspect, investigate and take punitive action in case or violations of statutory provisions through the Nodal Department and the State Pollution Control Board/Directorate of Health/Medical Services. The Committee shall review periodically the safety and control measures in the various industries/institutions handling genetically engineered Organisms/Hazardous microorganisms. 

The composition of the Coordination Committee shall be:

(i) Chief Secretary - Chairman

(ii) Secretary, Department of Environment - Member Secretary

(iii) Secretary, Department of Health - Member

(iv) Secretary, Department of Agriculture - Member

(v) Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce - Member

(vi) Secretary, Department of Forests - Member

(vii) Secretary, Department of Public works/Chief Engineer, Department of Public Health Engineering - Member

(viii) State microbiologists and Pathologists - Member

(ix) Chairman of State Pollution Control Board

The Committee may co-opt other members/experts as necessary.

(5) District Level Committee (DLC): There shall be a District Level Biotechnology Committee (DLC) in the districts wherever necessary under the District Collectors to monitor the safety regulations in installations engaged in the use of genetically modified organisms/hazardous microorganisms and its applications in the environment.

The District Level Committee/or any other person/s authorised in this behalf shall visit the installation engaged in activity involving genetically engineered organisms, hazardous microorganisms, formulate information chart, find out hazards and risks associated with each of these installations and coordinate activities with a view to meeting any emergency. The District Level Committee shall regularly submit its report to the State Biotechnology Co-ordination Committee/Genetic Engineering Approval Committee.

The District level Committee shall comprise of:

(i) District Collector - Chairman

(ii) Factory Inspector - Member

(iii) A representative of the Pollution Control Board - Member

(iv) Chief Medical Officer (District Health Officer) – Member (Convenor)

(v) District Agricultural Officer - Member

(vi) A representative of the Public Health Engineering Department - Member

(vii) District Microbiologists pathologist (Technical expert) - Member

(viii) Commissioner Municipal Corporation - Member

The Committee may co-opt other member/s/experts as necessary.

Reference:

Regulatory Framework for Genetically Engineered (GE) plants in India


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Russian parliament passed a bill to revoke its ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

By
Relevance:  Russia revokes ratification of nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) - ICAN But it affirmed that it will  retain its cooperation with the treaty’s verification system and implementing organisation.  Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which opened for signature in 1996, was intended to prohibit all nuclear weapon test explosions. Over 2,000 nuclear tests occurred between 1945 and 1996: the United States (1,000+), the Soviet Union (700+), France (200+), the United Kingdom and China (45 each). As at January 2013, 183 countries had signed the Treaty, of which 158 have also ratified it, including three of the nuclear weapon states (France, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom). However, 44 specific nuclear technology holder countries must sign and ratify before the CTBT can enter into force. Of these, eight are still missing: China, Egypt, India , Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the US. India , North Korea and Pakista...
Read more

Interstellar space and Interstellar Probes ( Voyager and New Horizons Missions )

By
Interstellar Space: Interstellar space is often called the space between the stars, but more specifically, it’s the region between our Sun’s heliosphere and the astrospheres of other stars. Our heliosphere is a vast bubble of plasma – a gas of charged particles – that spews out of the Sun. This outflow is known as the solar wind. The bubble surrounds the Sun and stretches beyond the planets. Both Voyager spacecraft had to travel more than 11 billion miles (17 billion kilometers) from the Sun in order to cross the edge of the heliosphere. This bubble is moving through interstellar space as the Sun orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy. As our heliosphere plows through space, it creates a bow wave, like the wave formed by the bow of a ship. Kuiper Belt &  Oort Cloud: The Kuiper Belt is a doughnut-shaped ring of icy objects around the Sun, extending just beyond the orbit of Neptune from about 30 to 55 AU. Similar to the asteroid belt, the Kuiper Belt is a region of leftovers f...
Read more

ISRO developing semi-cryogenic engine working on LOX Kerosene propellant

By
ISRO is developing a 2000 kN thrust semi-cryogenic engine working on an LOX Kerosene propellant combination for enhancing the payload capability of LVM3 and for future launch vehicles. Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is the lead centre for the development of semi-cryogenic propulsion systems with the support of other launch vehicle centres of ISRO. The assembly and testing of the propulsion modules were done at the ISRO propulsion complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. As part of the engine development, a pre-burner ignition test article, which is a full complement of the engine power head system excluding the turbopumps is realized. The first ignition trial was conducted successfully on May 2, 2024, at semi cryo integrated engine test facility (SIET) at IPRC, Mahendragiri, which was dedicated to the nation recently by the honorable Prime Minister of India. Smooth and sustained ignition of the preburner is demonstrated which is vital for the starting of the semi-cryogenic engine. Semi-c...
Read more