Team Herald
PORVORIM: NCP MLA Churchill Alemao has slammed the govt for transferring Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) officer Iva Fernandes from the position of Designate Officer in-charge, Food Safety Administration in South Goa.
Speaking during the Demands for Grants on FDA, Alemao acknowledged her efforts in exposing the presence of formalin in fish a year ago, which he said had saved many lives. “We need officers like Iva. They can do wonders if they are promoted,” he added as he pointed out to the increasing number of cancer cases in Goa.
The Benaulim legislator said that in the last 17 months, a total of 1072 cases of cancer have been detected in the State. “What is the reason that cancer is on rise,” he questioned.
Admitting that erstwhile Congress govt, of which he was a part of, was oblivious about the issue as it was during the fishing ban in Goa, he said they now know that the fish imported from other States are laced with formalin to maintain its freshness.
“It is our mistake that we never knew, you also didn’t know about it. From April end to July the fishing activity on coastal belt of Daman, Diu, Kerala, Goa, Bangalore are never carried out. During this period fish consignment are imported from Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. As fish is cheaper, fish agents import huge consignments. If you want to transport fish consignment within a span of 48 hours then you ought to put one kilogram of ice after every kilogram of fish and in the absence of adequate ice blocks, they (agents) use some quantity of ice in water and apply formalin in it to preserve the fish so that fish remains fresh for long time,” he said.
Over the formalin expose in Goa last year, Alemao demanded that the work of setting up the laboratory in Margao should be expedited wherein not only fish samples but fruits and vegetables too are regularly checked.
St Andre BJP MLA Francis Silveira also raised apprehensions about the use of chemicals in fish that is imported. He further demanded that Iva is brought back as the designate officer in South Goa. “Don’t give any scope to drag the issue. The fear of presence of formalin in fish should be addressed. Tests should be conducted in the local markets,” he said.
