Is Centre prepared to tackle bio-terror?

The Centre does not rule out ‘bio-terror’ attacks through plants, animals and genetically modified organisms in the near future. But, ironically, the Pesticides Management Bill, 2008, that seeks to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968, to provide for more effective regulation of pesticide introduction and use in the country, has been waiting for the law makers’ attention. In the backdrop of 26/11, the government should have debated the future of terrorism tactics and passed the Bill. But that has not happened.

Moreover, it is expected of the government to amend the outdated Insecticide Act and enlarge its scope from the agricultural fields to hazardous streets and unprotected citizens. A government official said the agriculture ministry is in charge of bio-security issues. The proposed law aims at setting up a National Agricultural Bio-security System soon.

“The threat to nation’s bio-security has increased in recent times on account of increasing international trade and emergence of trans-boundary diseases of plants and animals (such as Ug-99 and avian influenza),” says the government.

“Introduction of genetically modified organisms and climate change also has the potential to create new forms of diseases and fast spread of existing ones. Bio-terrorism is also a potent threat,” a government release adds.

In the recent issue of ‘Current Science’, Sudhir Syal, an expert in biotechnology and bioinformatics, explains “bio-terrorism” as a planned and deliberate use of pathogenic strains of micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses or their toxins to spread life-threatening diseases on a mass scale, to devastate the population of an area.

The redeeming factor is that DRDO is trying to counter bio-terrorism. Some DRDO laboratories have developed protective systems and equipment for troops, says Syal, adding, “As India is a nation with a population of more than one billion, such efforts and R&D need to be strengthened further.” Are the people in power listening?