Relevance: GS-3 (Health, Biotechnology, Disaster Management); Source: The Hindu

What is Biosecurity?

Biosecurity refers to practices and systems that prevent the intentional misuse of biological agents, toxins or technologies.
It covers:

• Protecting labs working with dangerous pathogens
• Preventing deliberate release of harmful biological material
• Safeguarding agriculture, livestock and ecosystems
  Biosecurity is different from biosafety, which focuses on accidental leakage of pathogens.

Major Threats

• New biotechnologies allow easier manipulation of organisms, increasing risks.
• Non-state actors have shown interest in toxins (e.g., alleged ricin preparation).
• Cross-border bio-risks due to India’s geography, porous borders and large livestock population.
• Climate change and global mobility increase disease spillover potential.

India’s Biosecurity Need & Current Measures

India has no known biosecurity attack, but rising risks make upgrades essential.
Key ongoing measures:

• Biological Weapons Convention (1975): prohibits development of bio-weapons.
• Environment Protection Act (1986): regulates hazardous microbes and genetically modified organisms.
• Weapons of Mass Destruction Act (2005): criminalises bio-weapons.
• Biosafety Rules (1989) & 2017 guidelines for recombinant DNA research.
• Institutions involved:
  • Department of Biotechnology – research governance
  • National Centre for Disease Control – outbreak surveillance
  • Department of Animal Husbandry – livestock diseases
  • Plant Quarantine Organisation – agricultural safeguards

Gap: India lacks a unified national biosecurity framework to coordinate these agencies.

Q. With reference to biosecurity, consider the following statements:

1. Biosecurity focuses only on accidental release of pathogens from laboratories.
2. The Biological Weapons Convention requires its members to destroy existing stockpiles of biological weapons.
3. India has a unified national biosecurity authority under the Department of Biotechnology.

How many statements are correct?
A. One only
B. Two only
C. All three
D. None