Team Herald
MARGAO: Dismissing Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s statement that he is “ignorant” about the measures taken by the government to ensure that formalin free fish is available in Goa, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has asserted that no MLA is as knowledgeable as he is about fish and its trade.
He also pooh poohed Vishwajit’s claim that he is accountable to the health and welfare of the people of Goa and wondered how the health minister can make such a statement when he cannot account for the bodies kept in the GMC morgue.
Briefing media persons, Alemao asserted that the fish that is imported in Goa from the Eastern coast during the monsoon season when there is a ban on fishing in Goa is necessarily laced with formalin as due to the hard water in those areas, there are no sufficient ice plants.
“To transport one kg of fish you need to cover it with one kg of ice and since ice is in short supply they just spray formalin on the ice before transporting the fish,” Churchill said adding that this was happening even during the Congress rule.
“However, we were not aware of it then and came to know about it only now,” he said pointing out that he had only appealed to the people to avoid eating fish for the two months as their ancestors used to do.
“Our ancestors lived to be ninety by not eating fish during the monsoons which they used to survive on dry fish and its pickles and we should adopt that lifestyle now,” he said adding that it was in the best interest of the health of the people.
He said the educational qualifications of Vishwajit Rane do not enlighten him about the fishing trade. “I have gone in the sea and caught fish and no MLA is as knowledgeable as me in fish business,” he said.
Appreciating the checking of the fish being brought in Goa at the borders, he pointed out that in Goa everything goes on clandestinely and that there was every possibility of some trucks being let in without checking and also wondered about the fish already brought and stored in freezers.
He also advised Vishwajit to be accountable to his departments first particularly the Goa Medical College where cadavers have been exchanged in the past. “We kept quiet then as we thought that Vishwajit being young and new needed time to gain some experience,” Churchill said.
Asserting that he is not interested in publicity, Churchill said he has spent his life for the welfare of Goa and Goans and added that he is willing to die for Goans.
Replying to a question, he said he has not only had cases filed against him but even spent time in jail since he joined politics and that it would not matter if another case is filed against him for causing panic among people.
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ZP chief asks Churchill to probe formalin case INSTEAD OF GIVING advice
Churchill Alemao’s advice not to eat fish during the monsoons featured at the Zilla Panchayat meeting on Wednesday with the Chairman Navnath Naik stating that instead of giving such advice it would be better if he actually probed and exposed those who are lacing fish with formalin. “Churchill should stop eating fish himself instead of advising people against eating it,” Navnath said while Nelly Rodrigues rose in Churchill’s defence to point out that the advice was for the benefit of the people. “Formalin has to be used when fish is transported such a long distance,” said Nelly which statement caused quite an uproar with members shouting against it as Nelly pointed out that Churchill had suggested not to eat fish for only two months. The matter came up for discussion as Moreno Rebello jocularly mentioned about Churchill’s advice and sought the chairman’s opinion on it even as Poinguinim representative Dr Pushpa Aiyar said that nobody should ever eat fish implying that vegetarianism is the best option.
