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Apex court asks govt to outline stance on biodiversity in four weeks

The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Union agriculture ministry on an application alleging that despite giving an assurance, the government has not taken effective steps to protect the rich bio-diversity of the country.

The notice on the application filed by the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology was issued by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice A S Anand, Justice R C Lahoti and Justice Doraiswamy Raju. The judges asked the government to file its response within four weeks.

The application was an offshoot of a pending writ petition on the issue.

Appearing for the foundation, advocate Sanjay Parekh said that the attorney general had already informed the court two years ago about the action taken by the government in protecting bio-dioversity by bringing a legislation.

The AG had also said that the government was taking action to challenge the grant of patent on the basmati rice in the USA. The counsel alleged that till date no petition had been filed before the forum concerned in the USA and little had been done to protect the rich bio-diversity of the country.

UNI

TRIPS is not anti-biodiversity, assures WTO chief

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