PANJIM: As the 15-day ban on the import of fish ended Friday midnight, Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and the State police maintained stringent checks on the borders to ensure that fish that enters the State is not laced with chemicals. The fish, that entered the State in the early hours of Saturday, cleared the FDA test, confirming no presence of chemical.
Teams comprising FDA officials and police ensured that every vehicle entering the State via Patradevi (North Goa) and Pollem (South Goa) check post were checked thoroughly. Nearly 17 trucks carrying fish entered from the two check posts.
Speaking to Herald, FDA Minister Vishwajit Rane said that Saturday morning the expert team of his
department thoroughly checked the trucks that arrived from across the border laden with fish during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.
“Imported fish samples testing started at the two check posts from midnight. Fourteen trucks carrying fish, with Karnataka registration number were checked at Pollem, while another three trucks from Maharashtra were inspected at Patradevi,” Rane said.
He said that the last truck carrying fish entered the State at around 3.40 am after which the imports had stopped for the night.
The Minister said, “All the samples which were checked passed the FDA test, which means they were not laced with any chemical and were safe for consumption.”
He said that different varieties of fish, right from shark, pomfret, lepo, etc, were imported. “A day team comprising female officials has also been deployed at the check post to ensure that no vehicles with fish enter the State without testing,” he said.
“FDA teams will be at the check posts round the clock,” the Minister stated, adding, “The local fish traders will have to register themselves with the FDA under Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), while traders from outside Goa will be asked to get certification from FDAs of their respective State, in next 15 days. Failing the certification, we will not allow them to import fish in Goa.”
The State government had on July 18 imposed a temporary ban on import of fish after it was suspected that formalin-laced fish had entered the State market. The government was at the receiving end, after the FDA initial report claimed the presence of formalin in fish and later, said it is within permissible limits.
The Opposition Congress had stalled the monsoon session of the Assembly for two days over the issue of formalin. They had demanded an inquiry into the entire episode of formalin being used on the fish which is harmful for human consumption.
