Aug 23, 2013
GEAC gives nod to field trials for GM crops to generate biosafety data
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has approved
experimental field trials for the purpose of generating biosafety data
in respect of genetically-modified (GM) crops such as cotton, rice,
castor, wheat, maize, tomato, groundnut, potato, sorghum, okra, brinjal,
mustard, watermelon, papaya, sugarcane banana, pigeon pea, Artemisia
annua L and chickpea.
This was stated by Jayanthi Natarajan, minister of state (independent charge) for environment and forests, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. She added that about 79 applications covering 11 crops – cotton, rice, castor, maize, wheat, sugarcane, brinjal, potato, chickpea, mustard and sorghum – are currently pending with GEAC. Out of the 79 applications, 24 are awaiting no-objection certificates (NOC) from the state governments and the remainder is yet to be considered by GEAC.
Natarajan stated that in view of the objections received from some of the state governments regarding GM crop field trials in their states, GEAC directed the applicants to obtain NOC from the respective state government before the issuance of the approval letter. The minister added that the matter is sub judice in the Supreme Court.
This was stated by Jayanthi Natarajan, minister of state (independent charge) for environment and forests, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. She added that about 79 applications covering 11 crops – cotton, rice, castor, maize, wheat, sugarcane, brinjal, potato, chickpea, mustard and sorghum – are currently pending with GEAC. Out of the 79 applications, 24 are awaiting no-objection certificates (NOC) from the state governments and the remainder is yet to be considered by GEAC.
Natarajan stated that in view of the objections received from some of the state governments regarding GM crop field trials in their states, GEAC directed the applicants to obtain NOC from the respective state government before the issuance of the approval letter. The minister added that the matter is sub judice in the Supreme Court.
NCDEX denies liabilities concerning 900-tonne adulterated black pepper
Under pressure from Kerala's food safety commissioner Biju Prabhakar
over the alleged adulteration of black pepper, the National Commodities
and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) – one of India's leading agricultural
bourses – stated that it does not have any liability regarding stocks of
the spice. The exchange added that it is not liable for non-compliance
by any member and market participant with all applicable laws on the
underlying commodity either.
“NCDEX merely provides a platform for trading in forward contracts, and does not own, deposit or deal with the goods in the warehouses,” the exchange, which has sought official permission to remove the mineral oil coating from the 900-tonne-stock, valued at approximately Rs 350 crore, said, adding that the removal of the adulterant by the holders of the stock and market participants would be in the best interests of the industry, as it would improve the quality of the spice.
The bourse – which is headquartered in Mumbai and promoted by a consortium of shareholders, including the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), ICICI Bank, the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) – stated that it has always ensured that the delivery of every commodity is in accordance with its contract specifications.
Seizures in Kerala
Prabhakar recently ordered the exchange to destroy the aforementioned stock of black pepper, and following seizures at six warehouses located in two districts of the southern state (Alappuzha and Ernakulam), those trading in the spice on the exchange made representations to the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) – the commodity market regulator – and the bourse, demanding that either valid goods be delivered to them or the value of the spice be reimbursed.
NCDEX confirmed that the pepper stocks were seized after buyers complained that they contained mineral oil, and added that the warehouses in Kerala were accredited by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country's apex food regulator. Since then, FSSAI has been testing the stock with the help of NCDEX and the Spices Board India, and ordered the destruction of 93 lots containing traces of mineral oil.
About 6,000 tonne black pepper was sealed. Prabhakar, who sealed the warehouses, issued a notice to the bourse, stating that it ensure that the spice does not enter the market. Spices Board India was entrusted with the task of examining the black pepper samples. Following the order, NCDEX claimed that the owners were urged to take up the matter with FSSAI and take appropriate action. The lots that meet the standards set by the regulator will be returned to their owners.
Most of the stocks in the godowns sealed by FSSAI were bought by the holders in off-market transactions outside the NCDEX platform. However, the bourse was informed by some industry players that farmers and traders engaged in the cultivation, production and trading of pepper adopt various methods to preserve the spice, including adding a small amount of mineral oil. This is later removed by steaming.
The adulterant
According to the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 [which preceded the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006], the use of any mineral oil in pepper is prohibited. The mineral oil used to adulterate black pepper is made of burnt diesel, paraffin oil, white petroleum and other petroleum products, which are neither digestible nor soluble. When black pepper is coated with this adulterant, it becomes unfit for human consumption and could even be carcinogenic.
Hearing in Indore
On September 17, 2013, the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court will hear a petition filed by the Kalimirch Vyapari Association, a body that represents traders who have incurred huge losses owing to the non-delivery of black pepper by the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange. The members of the association have reportedly purchased the spice on the bourse by paying a sum of Rs 350 crore.
“NCDEX merely provides a platform for trading in forward contracts, and does not own, deposit or deal with the goods in the warehouses,” the exchange, which has sought official permission to remove the mineral oil coating from the 900-tonne-stock, valued at approximately Rs 350 crore, said, adding that the removal of the adulterant by the holders of the stock and market participants would be in the best interests of the industry, as it would improve the quality of the spice.
The bourse – which is headquartered in Mumbai and promoted by a consortium of shareholders, including the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), ICICI Bank, the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) – stated that it has always ensured that the delivery of every commodity is in accordance with its contract specifications.
Seizures in Kerala
Prabhakar recently ordered the exchange to destroy the aforementioned stock of black pepper, and following seizures at six warehouses located in two districts of the southern state (Alappuzha and Ernakulam), those trading in the spice on the exchange made representations to the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) – the commodity market regulator – and the bourse, demanding that either valid goods be delivered to them or the value of the spice be reimbursed.
NCDEX confirmed that the pepper stocks were seized after buyers complained that they contained mineral oil, and added that the warehouses in Kerala were accredited by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country's apex food regulator. Since then, FSSAI has been testing the stock with the help of NCDEX and the Spices Board India, and ordered the destruction of 93 lots containing traces of mineral oil.
About 6,000 tonne black pepper was sealed. Prabhakar, who sealed the warehouses, issued a notice to the bourse, stating that it ensure that the spice does not enter the market. Spices Board India was entrusted with the task of examining the black pepper samples. Following the order, NCDEX claimed that the owners were urged to take up the matter with FSSAI and take appropriate action. The lots that meet the standards set by the regulator will be returned to their owners.
Most of the stocks in the godowns sealed by FSSAI were bought by the holders in off-market transactions outside the NCDEX platform. However, the bourse was informed by some industry players that farmers and traders engaged in the cultivation, production and trading of pepper adopt various methods to preserve the spice, including adding a small amount of mineral oil. This is later removed by steaming.
The adulterant
According to the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 [which preceded the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006], the use of any mineral oil in pepper is prohibited. The mineral oil used to adulterate black pepper is made of burnt diesel, paraffin oil, white petroleum and other petroleum products, which are neither digestible nor soluble. When black pepper is coated with this adulterant, it becomes unfit for human consumption and could even be carcinogenic.
Hearing in Indore
On September 17, 2013, the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court will hear a petition filed by the Kalimirch Vyapari Association, a body that represents traders who have incurred huge losses owing to the non-delivery of black pepper by the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange. The members of the association have reportedly purchased the spice on the bourse by paying a sum of Rs 350 crore.
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Pan masala seized
Lorry loads of pan masala, including gutka, were seized by the police at Kandabelu village near Royakottai on Thursday.
P.
Dinesh, District Food Safety and Drug Administration, said that the
market value of the seized pan masala was Rs. 5 lakh. In connection with
this, the driver of the lorry S. Anbumani (35) of Velappampatti near
Thoppur was arrested.
According to police sources, the pan masala was being transported in the name of white cement from Bangalore to Virudhunagar.
குட்கா ஏற்றி சென்ற லாரி பறிமுதல்; டிரைவர் கைது
தர்மபுரி: தடை செய்யப்பட்ட குட்கா உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்களை ஏற்றி சென்ற லாரியை, போலீஸார் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.
பெங்களூருவில் இருந்து, மகேந்திரமங்கலம் வழியாக தடை செய்யப்பட்ட குட்கா, பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்கள், ஒரு லாரியில் கடத்தி செல்லப்படவுள்ளதாக எஸ்,பி., ஆஸ்ரா கார்கிற்கு ரகசிய தகவல் வந்தது.
அவரது உத்தரவுப்படி, தனிப்படை போலீஸார், நேற்று, மகேந்திரமங்கலம் பகுதியில் தீவிர வாகன சோதனையில் ஈடுபட்டனர். அப்போது, அவ்வழியாக வந்த, ஒரு லாரியை நிறுத்தி சோதனை செய்தனர்.
சோதனையில், லாரியில் தடை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ள குட்கா, பான்பாரக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்கள் இருப்பது தெரிந்தது. தனிப்படை போலீஸார் லாரி டிரைவரிடம் விசாரித்தனர். விசாரணையில், தர்மபுரி மாவட்டம், தொப்பூரை சேர்ந்த, அன்புமணி, 35 என்பதும், பெங்களூரில் இருந்து விருதுநகருக்கு, ஐந்து லட்ச ரூபாய் மதிப்பிலான தடை செய்யப்பட்ட, குட்கா, பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்களை எடுத்து சென்றது தெரிந்தது. போலீஸார் அன்புமணியை கைது செய்தனர். லாரி பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது.
பெங்களூருவில் இருந்து, மகேந்திரமங்கலம் வழியாக தடை செய்யப்பட்ட குட்கா, பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்கள், ஒரு லாரியில் கடத்தி செல்லப்படவுள்ளதாக எஸ்,பி., ஆஸ்ரா கார்கிற்கு ரகசிய தகவல் வந்தது.
அவரது உத்தரவுப்படி, தனிப்படை போலீஸார், நேற்று, மகேந்திரமங்கலம் பகுதியில் தீவிர வாகன சோதனையில் ஈடுபட்டனர். அப்போது, அவ்வழியாக வந்த, ஒரு லாரியை நிறுத்தி சோதனை செய்தனர்.
சோதனையில், லாரியில் தடை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ள குட்கா, பான்பாரக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்கள் இருப்பது தெரிந்தது. தனிப்படை போலீஸார் லாரி டிரைவரிடம் விசாரித்தனர். விசாரணையில், தர்மபுரி மாவட்டம், தொப்பூரை சேர்ந்த, அன்புமணி, 35 என்பதும், பெங்களூரில் இருந்து விருதுநகருக்கு, ஐந்து லட்ச ரூபாய் மதிப்பிலான தடை செய்யப்பட்ட, குட்கா, பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்களை எடுத்து சென்றது தெரிந்தது. போலீஸார் அன்புமணியை கைது செய்தனர். லாரி பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது.
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