Biotechnology and its Applications Test - 11

In September 1997 Texas, USA company RiceTec was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,663,484 on "basmati rice lines and grains." The patent secures lines of basmati and basmati-like rice and ways of analyzing that rice. RiceTec, owned by Prince Hans-Adam of Liechtenstein, faced international outrage over allegations of biopiracy.

Biopiracy describes a practice in which indigenous knowledge of nature, originating with indigenous peoples, is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people themselves.

Basmati rice is distinct for its unique aroma and flavour and 27 documented varieties of Basmati are grown in India.

India grows 650.000 tonnes of Basmati annually.

The right granted to the company or organization of which others cannot use it is called biopatent.

A biological patent is a patent on an invention in the field of biology that by law allows the patent holder to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the protected invention for a limited period of time.

This right is given as intellectual right to the company.

Most industrialized nations are rich financially but poor in biodiversity and traditional knowledge. Biodiversity and traditional knowledge related to bio-resources are can be exploited to develop modern applications.

Exploiting biological resources of other nation without proper authorization from the country or people concerned without compensatory payment is called biopiracy.

Bio-weapons are conventionally used by terrorists as they are invisible and extremely difficult to detect. It includes addition of microbes in water, food etc. that can cause disease in large number of people.

GMO is an abbreviation for genetically modified organism, an organism whose genetic material has been modified, especially by genetic engineering.

The manipulation of living organisms by the human race cannot go on any further, without regulation. Some ethical standards are required to evaluate the morality of all human activities that might help or harm living organisms.

Going beyond the morality of such issues, the biological significance of such things is also important. Genetic modification of organisms can have unpredicatable results when such organisms are introduced into the ecosystem.

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the apex body constituted in the Ministry of Environment and Forests under 'Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells 1989', under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.