Team Herald
PANJIM: Hours after the wholesale fish traders and vendors threatened to hold a protest march at Azad Maidan on November 3 against restrictions imposed on fish import, the State government ruled out any change in its stand.
Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has stopped entry of vehicles laden with fish from entering the State in the absence of proper documents like transportation registration under Food Safety and Standards Act and other documents since October 27. This has been done to rule out the fear of formalin laced fish being imported in the State.
FDA Minister Vishwajit Rane said the government decision on following the guidelines for importing fish in the State, either for wholesale purpose or for process at fish mills, is final and that there would be no changes.
“Irrespective of any kind of pressure, there will be no change in the government stand. We will not succumb to any pressure. You show us valid document, we will allow your vehicle along with consignment to enter,” Rane said.
The Minister said that FDA, along with officials of transport department and police, will ensure that there is strict compliance of the directions at all the identified entry points. Patradevi, Pollem, Mollem, Naibag, Kiranpani, Querim, are the entry points where the police and transport officials have been deployed to check vehicles entering the State with fish.
Minister has already warned that fish carrying vehicles will face a permanent ban from entering Goa if they do not comply with the directions.
