PANJIM: Reiterating its demand for ban on fish import, the Congress party on Sunday challenged Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to consume ‘permissible limit’ formalin-laced fish for a month to build confidence amongst consumers on the quality of fish they eat.
Congress had on Saturday created much ruckus over formalin in Margao fish market after few samples were tested positive for formalin content. The tests were conducted using rapid test kit developed by ICAR-CIFT.
Rane had then taken on Congress questioning their credibility to conduct such tests and had appealed people not to take the party seriously.
On Sunday, addressing media persons, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar demanded that government should impose ban on fish import as there is no doubt that imported fish contains formalin, which is harmful for human health.
“I challenge Health Minister and FDA Director Jyoti Sardesai to consume the so called permissible limit formalin laced fish for one month in order to build the confidence amongst the consumers. Let us make the Health Ministers courage public,” he said.
“We recommend him to eat imported fish like king fish, pomfret, mackerals…any imported fish,” Chodankar said.
Congress demanded that unless government is in position to provide formalin-free fish to Goans, FDA should ban import of fish in the State. “People have lost faith in FDA post February 12 incident. Congress is not responsible for the fiasco or fear in the minds of public; but it is the FDA,” he said.
Chodankar said that the tests were conducted using designated test kit, developed by ICAR-CIFT to help regulators to instantaneously determine the adulterated fish. “The kit are not developed by Congress,” he said.
Accepting Minister’s challenge for public debate on the issue of formalin, Chodankar said that let the Minister first counter our NSUI President Ahraz Mulha, who has done quite a good study on the subject.
Meanwhile, Congress said that it has no faith in the government appointed committee under additional secretary to investigate FDA designated officer Iva Fernandes report.
