Mere formality of fish testing carried out, not formalin, at Polem border

ABEL BARRETTO

POLEM (CANACONA): On July 16, under a headline “Herald zooms to Polem check-post to check fish checking, exposes shocking sights”, this daily had reported on the startling and unhygienic manner in which ‘formalin tests’ were supposedly being carried out on the Polem border, before the fish Goans eat comes to the markets, mainly in Margao.

Seven weeks later, after the free inter-state movement has started, Herald visited the Polem check post again to see if there was any improvement. Sadly, nothing has changed.

With secrecy shroud over procedures adopted in the testing of fish coming into Goa through Polem border, ambiguity still exists in the minds of Goan seafood lovers as to whether the fish that they are eating is safe or laced with chemical additives.

 The fish is tested by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) under the department through the Quality Control of India (QCI) testing agency. But several doubts remain about the efficacy of the testing.

Since the startling news of fish coming from outside Goa, testing positive for the presence of formalin broke out in July two years ago, Goemkars have been since then skeptical, about consuming seafood, mainly which comes from out of state.

When Herald visited the QCI laboratory at Polem, which has been entrusted with the job of testing fish coming into Goa by Food and Drugs Authority, there were two PUF (Polyurethane Foam) trucks in front of the lab and the sampling of the fish looked vague.

A few pieces of fish were taken from the back of the truck in a plastic tray, the tray was taken inside the lab, (outsiders are not allowed to even peek into the lab) and when the door gets opened (which is closed the moment the fish sample tray is taken in) one can see a spotless testing table with nothing else on it.

The testing lab has a chemist who usually doesn’t speak to anyone, there are two assistants who are from Karwar it was told.

“They do not employ local Goans as locals may not maintain secrecy of the testing as well as methods adopted”, opined Vishant Prabhu, who takes up local issues of the taluka, speaking to Herald at the border.

While QCI staff was not ready to talk or answer any questions (as is their usual practice) the truck drivers were more cooperative and informed that they had arrived with mackerels from Alleppey in Kerala and were on the way to SGPDA wholesale fish market in Margao.

One of the drivers mentioned that his truck was carrying 4 tonnes of mackerels and he had got the fish tested at the designated lab.

However, since the QCI officials do not allow any movement near the truck and everyone is out of bounds, as per their rules, locals are raising questions on the way QCI staff conducts the tests and whether the procedure can ensure that no samples of formalin fish gets past the check-post.

 They have been complaining that the sampling procedure itself is not right.

“In one truck, there are about 150 crates and in no circumstances will the sample taken from a couple of crates be a representative sample of all the fish in the truck,” said another local wishing unanimity. 

Herald tried contacting Director of FDA for comments. After persistent attempts the Director said she was busy and unable to talk.