The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that state governments and UTs have been instructed to constitute state biotechnology co-ordination committees (SBCC) and district level committees (DLC) to ensure safe field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops.

In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the ministry of environment and forests said the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee chairman has, on September 3, instructed the concerned chief secretaries to constitute SBCCs and DLCs.