KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF STUDIES AND RESEARCH IN LAW

Manasagangotri, Mysore 570 006
DISSERTATION

IMPACT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM ON ECOSYSYTEM AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA
By
KEERTI N T
Register No. 12003900009

Under the Guidance of

Mr.RAHUL.R.ASTURE
High Court Advocate
Gulbarga Bench
Gulbarga

The Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the award of LL.M. [IP &
Tech.Law] Post Graduate Degree

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Miss. Keerti. N.T, 4th Semester, LL.M.[ IP & Tech.Law], Register No.
12003900009, has authored dissertation IMPACT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED
ORGANISM ON ECOSYSYTEM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN INDIAin
partial fulfillment of requirement for the award of LL.M. [IP & Tech.Law] Post Graduate Degree
for the Academic year of 2013-2014. I certify thus is her bonafide work, done under my
supervision and guidance.
This seminar or any part thereof has not been previously submitted to any other college for any
other degree.

Place:

Mr. Rahul Asture

High Court Advocate
Gulbarga Bench
Gulbarga

DECLARATION

I Miss. Keerti N T, 4th Semester, LL.M.[ IP & Tech.Law], Register No. 12003900009, do
hereby declare that I myself has authored this dissertation on IMPACT OF GENETICALLY
MODIFIED ORGANISM ON ECOSYSYTEM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN
INDIA as partial fulfillment of requirement for the award of LL.M. [IP &Tech.Law] Post
Graduate Degree during the year 2014under the supervision and guidance of
Mr.Rahul.R.Asture,Advocate High Court of Karnataka Gulbarga Bench . It is my original work
and not submitted to any other University.
Place: Gulbarga
Date:

Keerti N T
Register No. 12003900009

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
It is with immense pleasure that I Miss.Keerti N T, 4th Semester, LL.M.[ IP & Tech.Law],
Register No. 12003900009, duly hereby acknowledge my gratitude towards all the valuable
assistance I have received from Mr. Rahul R. Asture Advocate High Court of Karnataka
Gulbarga Bench, who has helped me in accomplishing this dissertation.

Place: Gulbarga

Date

Keerti N T

Register No. 12003900009

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS
Certificate
Declaration
Acknowledgement
Table of cases
Table of Statutes
Table of Abbreviation
Chapter-1
Chapter-2
Chapter-3
Chapter-4
Chapter-5
Chapter-6
Bibliography
Annexure-I
Annexure-II
Annexure-III

PAGE

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Research problem and Limitation
1.3 Objectives of the study
1.4 Hypothesis
1.5 Research significance
1.6 Research methodology
1.7 Review of Literature
1.8 Chapterisation
1.9 Bibliography

CHAPTER 2:
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENERATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
2.1introduction
2.2 Historical development of Biotechnology
2.3 Definition of Biotechnology
2.4Generations of Biotechnology
2.4(a)First Generation

2.4(b)Second Generation
2.4(c)Third Generation
2.5Application and scope of Biotechnology
2.6 conclusion

CHAPTER 3:
GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM AND ECOSYSYTEM
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Genetically modified organism and Related concern
3.3 Ecosystem and GMO
3.3(a) Impact on Ecosystem
3.3(b) GM Food and Ecosystem
3.4 Sustainable Development
3.5 Conclusion

CHAPTER 4:
INDIAN RESPONSE TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOMENT ON GENRTICALLY
MODIFIED ORGANISM
4.1 Introduction
4.2 ICMR Indian Council for Medical Research
4.3 PPVFR Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Right Act 2001
4.4 Biological Diversity Act, 2002
4.5 Conclusion

CHAPTER 5:
BIOSAFETY CONCERNS IN GENETICLLY MODIFIED ORGANISM
5.1 Introduction
5.2 GMO and issue of Biosafety
5.3 Cartanega Protocol on Biosafety
5.4 Revisiting the object and scope of the Protocol
5.5 Conclusion

CHAPTER 6:
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
6.1 Conclusion
Findings and Observations
6.2 Suggestions

BIBLOGRAPHY
ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE I - Questionnaires
ANNEXURE II- ACT
ANNEXURE III- International Act

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
The First Genetically Modified plant was produced in 1982, using antibiotic-resistant tobacco
plant. The first field trials of genetically engineered plants occurred in France and the USA in
1986, when tobacco plants were engineered to be resistant to herbicides. In 1987, plant Genetic
systems, founded by Marc Van Montagu and Jeff Schell, was the first company to develop
genetically engineered plants with insect tolerance by expressing genes encoding for insecticidal
proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The peoples Republic of China was the first country to
allow commercialize transgenic plants, introducing a virus-resistant tobacco in 1992. Genetically
engineered plants are generated in a laboratory by altering their genetic makeup. This is usually
done by adding one or more genes to a plant's genome using genetic engineering techniques. In
the biolistic method, DNA is bound to tiny particles of gold or tungsten which are subsequently
shot into plant tissue or single plant cells under high pressure. The accelerated particles penetrate
both the cell wall and membranes. The DNA separates from the metal and is integrated into plant
genome inside the nucleus. This method has been applied successfully for many cultivated crops,
especially monocots like wheat or maize, for which transformation using Agrobacterium
tumefaciens has been less successful. The major disadvantage of this procedure is that serious
damage can be done to the cellular tissue. GM crops grown today, or under experimental
development, have been modified with traits intended to provide benefit to farmers, consumers,
or industry. These traits include improved shelf life, disease resistance, stress resistance,
herbicide resistance, pest-resistance, production of useful goods such as biofuel or drugs, and
ability to absorb toxins, for use in bioremediation of pollution. Due to high regulatory and
research costs, the majority of genetically modified crops in agriculture consist of commodity
crops, such as soybean, maize, cotton and rapeseed. In recent years there has been rapid growth
in the area sown in developing countries. A total of 27 countries worldwide grew GM crops in
2013 by approximately 18 million farmers and 54% of GM crops grown worldwide were grown

in developing countries. There has also been rapid and continuing expansion of GM cotton
varieties in India since 2002 with 110,000 km2 of GM cotton harvested in India in 2013.
However the use of GM crops in India has been controversial, as discussed in detail in the GM
controversies article.
The genetically modified foods controversy is a dispute over the use of food and other goods
derived from genetically modified crops instead of from conventional crops, and other uses of
genetic engineering in food production. The dispute involves consumers, biotechnology
companies, governmental regulators, non-governmental organizations, and scientists. The key
areas of controversy related to genetically modified food are: whether GM food should be
labeled, the role of government regulators, the effect of GM crops on health and the
environment, the effect on pesticide resistance, the impact of GM crops for farmers, and the role
of GM crops in feeding the world population. There is broad scientific consensus that food on
the market derived from GM crops poses no greater risk than conventional food. Biotechnology
firms claim that transgenic crops promise more food with less land. GMO crops have been found
to increase yields, with a 10 percent change to a genetically modified herbicide tolerant crop
yielding a roughly 1.7 percent increase in productivity (USDA). Biotechnology companies state
that such varieties of crops will improve the livelihood of farmers around the world.

1.2 Research Problems and limitation

i. What are the factors influencing the promoting the use of GMO?
ii. What are the effects on the Ecosystem and the sustainable development ?
iii. Does the Indian Farmers are helpful with GMOs?
iv. Does India has any act which protect the right of Farmers and the Sustainable development?
v. If we have any act then how far best its working?
vi. This research belongs to India and its states.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

i. Genetically Modified Organisms And its impact.
ii. To analyze Whether GMOs are helping the Farmers of our country.
iii. To find out whether the GMO are making any bad impact on the ecosystem.
iv. To examine whether there are any provisions for the safeguarding the ecosystem.
v. To examine the role Farmers, individuals and Government towards sustainable development.
vi. To suggest the measures to protect the ecosystem.

1.4 Hypothesis
The Genetically Modified Organisms had made a drastic change in India and its agriculture.
India had passed many legislations for the protection of ecosystem and sustainability but the
agriculturist has their own to yield the crops and make the quantity twice or thrice more than
with the normal seeds. The Hybrid or GMO seeds give more yield and more good quality which
may give a good profit of sale and which is more resistive than the normal seed. There are so
many examples which gives more crops in less expense and with less effort.
e.g BT-Cotton , Tomato and Brinjol Etc.
These may cause irreparable loss to the fertility of soil or which may reduce the growing
capacity of land.

1.5 Scope of the Study

For thousands of years, human beings have modified nature's organisms for usage in agriculture.
New technology has furthered this trend: recombinant DNA technology allows biotechnology
firms to insert DNAs into plant genomes, thereby creating plants that express the desired traits.
Use of such genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has prompted controversy, especially for its
role in ensuring food security. As such, the use of transgenics merits a serious
discussionregarding its relevance to food security.

1.6 Importance of the Study

The purported benefits and costs of utilizing GMOs, as well as the benefits they have brought
saving land, reducing pesticide use, and promising to alleviate third world hunger. Then we
provide an in-depth analysis of the health, ecological, and socio-economic impact of transgenic
organisms. Our ultimate stance on this issue is to wait for greater availability of biotech
organisms unassociated with large agricultural corporations, and for additional scientific data.

1.7 Research Methodology

The method adopted by the researcher is doctrinal research. It is based on Statute, authenticated
text books, various research articles. The researcher has also collected information from the
secondary sources such as information provided in the internet, as well as on the information
gather from Farmers and Agricultural Officers, who specifically deals with the Hybrid seeds and
GMOs.

1.8 Chapterization
The researcher has divided the dissertation topic entitled, IMPACT OF GENETICALLY
MODIFIED ORGANISM ON ECOSYSYTEM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN
INDIA into the following chapter:
The first part of the research deals with the introductory part.
The second chapter deals with the Biotechnology and generations of Biotechnology . This
chapter contains the three generations of the Biotechnology. First generation based on empirical
practice and minimal scientific or technical inputs. Second generation begin during the interwar
period. Third generation deals with the tissue cell culture and recombinant DNA technology.

In the third chapter, it deals with GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM AND

ECOSYSYTEM which deals with the ecosystem and genetically modified organism its impact
on the environment and sustainable development
In the fourth chapter, it consists of

INDIAN RESPONSE TO INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOMENT ON GENRTICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM this chapter deals with the

Indian provisions for the protection of genetically modified organisms and protection by
intellectual property. Which includes ICMR, PPVFR Act 2001, PBR and Biological Diversity
Act 2002.
In the fifth chapter, it deals with BIOSAFETY CONCERNS IN GENETICLLY MODIFIED
ORGANISM contains the CARTAGENA PROTOCOL, Bio-piracy and Bio-prospecting.

In the Sixth and last chapter, the researcher has provided conclusion and suggestion of the
whole preceding chapter and given suggestion based on the findings and observation made.