The Centre has told Supreme Court that "legislative sanction" is required for establishment of a DNA profiles data bank which will help to identify the dead bodies which are unidentified.
Filing an affidavit in response to a PIL, Union Science and Technology ministry said the draft Human DNA Profiling Bill is ready and the same is likely to be introduced in the budget session.
The government said an expert committee was set up to look into various issues including privacy concerns. After threadbare discussion by the members, the committee has recommended for creation of DNA data bank while opined that the issues can be addressed after the enactment of law.
"The DNA Profiling Bill will provide legislative sanction for the government to formulate, approve and implement the rules and regulations for creation, maintenance and operation of the DNA data bank. The protocols for DNA profiling by the government would ensure appropriate use of biological samples and develop infrastructure as well as protocols across all states in the country for recording details of unidentified deceased individuals, collection storage and transport of biological samples to the laboratory of DNA analysis...."
"The effective operationlisation of DNA profiling activities need necessary statutory backing in the shape of provisions of a Parliament enacted law and regulations which would be framed by DNA Profiling Board once the bill is enacted," the government said.
According to the affidavit, after the recommendation of the experts committee, the draft bill was modified and comments were received from various ministries and also from different departments. Now the revised draft bill be submitted in the budget session of Parliament after the union cabinet's approval.
Earlier, the government had cited privacy concerns, lack of experts and handful laboratories as the prime reasons for not being able to push the Bill.
The apex court had in July last year had asked the Centre to create a DNA data bank on a plea by NGO Lokniti Foundation that establishment of identity was an essential feature of individual dignity and the government must resort to modern scientific methods.
The government stated that there was requirement of large number of trained personnel and adequate number of scientific laboratories with technicians.
The country has only 30 to 40 DNA experts against an estimated requirement of around 800 technical examiners for its 1,200 million population. And, each test costs Rs 20,000 and the estimated cost of identifying 40,000 bodies would be Rs 80crore every year, in addition to the remuneration of the examiners and support staff.
Wednesday 14 January 2015
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-centre-says-its-needs-legislative-sanction-to-dna-data-bank-2052323
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