Team Herald
MARGAO: The Camurlim gram sabha on Sunday strongly condemned the government for not taking strong action against those responsible for lacing fish with formalin.
The issue dominated the entire meeting when it was raised by a villager Inacio Antao.
Maintaining that the government should identify the persons responsible for adulterating fish with formalin and punish them, the villagers pointed out that the government was duty bound to ensure that Goans get fresh and unadulterated fish for consumption.
The gram sabha resolved that the Food and Drugs Administration set in place a mechanism to check the quality of the fish at the wholesale fish market and demanded that till then the health officer at the health centre be empowered to test the fish being sold in the village.
The villagers pointed out that there were quite a few fish vendors moving in the village selling fish and said that it would be better if the medical officer certifies that the fish is good and fit for consumption. The villagers also asked the panchayat to write to the health minister to empower the health officer to check the fish that is sold in the village.
Taking note of garbage being dumped on the roadside, the gram sabha resolved to install closed circuit television cameras at places where garbage is dumped regularly to identify the culprit and take action against them.
As there was no other suggestion or correspondence from the villagers, the gram sabha ended within 40 minutes.
