When the news first broke out, I took it with a pinch of salt
and these days there is so much of hyperbole on social media with activists
crying foul over everything, I was waiting to hear the test results. However,
what followed was terrible as the institutional bodies themselves were giving
contradictory versions and as the facts came to the fore, it has been extremely
shocking. I now plan to stay away from fish and I’m trying vegan substitutes
for the time being. It is not easy but a must until we are sure about what we
are consuming.
RAFAEL DIAS, Margao
I used to be predominately non-vegetarian
until last year, when I had to to give up meat due to health concerns. I am not
a fan of vegetables but the switch was made easier as I was allowed fish for it
is a good source of protein, which I need. But with this new development, I
have to stop with the fish and have no option but to resort to including
certain meats in my diet in a moderate quantity.
LUISA RODRIGUES, Cavelossim
I have fresh fish always and I buy it from
the traditional fishermen, fresh from the sea. I know there are now some
concerns about the safety aspect of even this fish. We come from a neighbourhood
that is a fishing community and we trust them with their advise. This events
have shaken up the industry and Goa. We are hopeful that in the coming days,
not only will the prices come down but we will get safe and clean fish. It’s
the regular fishing ban, so it’s normal now, but I will be cautious once the
two-month ban is lifted on August 1.
SEBASTIAN FERNANDES, Ribandar
I come from a family that has grown up on
‘xit, kodi ani nuste’. It is something I have had almost every day of my life.
If we had to travel, the first thing I would do on returning home was getting
back to our regular diet. Not having fish these days feels very strange. I had
been curious about the salad diet for quite some time and have switched to it
temporarily until this proposed mechanism to test the fish is properly in
place.
GOVIND NAIK, Quepem
It is not just about Goa. My job involves
a lot of travelling; I was in Kerala recently, where there was a similar scare.
In fact, I’ve been reading about similar cases taking place all over the
country. What scares me is that we as the public have been eating all this for
years. It’s not possible that this adulteration is something new; it must have
been happening for some time now. The reports are scary and I love fish but I
have moved to chicken and occasionally, mutton. Thai cuisine is another
favourite.
SAYYED KHAN, Vasco
I would like to emphatically state that
this is something that cannot be taken lightly and mere lip service will not
do. This is something that could have been the cause of a lot of heartache as
there are theories by experts that claim that this could have caused diseases
like cancer or even medical problems like miscarriages. This is a matter of
life and death. Regarding my diet, I will be personally checking the sources of
all the food I consume from now on, not just fish. I am on a juice diet now.
DAPHNE PEREIRA, Panjim
I am the one who goes to the market and
buys food for all at home. I know the fish vendors at the market and for years,
every week or so, I visit them. I will speak to them and inquire where they get
their fish from. If the fish exported from Goa is supposedly safe, why can’t we
have that fish? Also, what about the fish from the ramponkars? Once the ban is
lifted, I will be looking into this. We are vegetarians and so I am
experimenting with interesting type of dishes that we see on TV shows.
SHWETA DESSAI, Calangute
If you are the type of person like me who
likes to go out, seafood is a must. Be it the starters or the main course, I
can’t do without seafood. There are so many ways one can make seafood items and
it will be interesting to see how badly the hospitality sector takes a hit.
That is just a thought, as our concern is about our lives and not the
livelihoods of a few at the public’s cost. I may have to travel out of Goa to
have safe seafood now.
PRASHANT RAIKAR, Porvorim
