PANJIM: Questioning the legality and authenticity of tests carried out by Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), a retired Goa University scientist has raised apprehensions on the purity of fish post the fishing ban.
Dr Joe D’Souza, a former microbiology scientist at Goa University, questioned why FDA did not conduct a panchanama of fish which was raided on July 12 morning.
“There can always be doubts raised on the tests conducted by FDA in their laboratory. Soon after FDA found the fish to be laced with formaldehyde they should have immediately done a panchanama along with police officials,” D’Souza told Herald.
He said that regular tests are different from the one done in criminal investigations. “We all know the involvement of the fish mafia now and FDA should have been more careful on the issue while testing as there are doubts that the fish raided in the morning could have been replaced with fresh fish in FDA office,” he alleged.
The science expert expressed apprehensions on Goan trawlers fetching fresh fish for us post August 3. “Can anyone guarantee us that we will get fresh fish post August 3? The trawlers that go into the deep sea are there for eight days up to a month. How do these people preserve fish? Don’t tell me it is only ice,” he said.
Carrying so much ice, he said, is loss for trawlers as it is like carrying extra baggage. “So the authorities must keep a tab on them when they arrive,” D’Souza said.
He also questioned why the fish truck which came post the ban were sent back? “The government should have conducted tests and destroyed the fish. Otherwise there is every possibility of the same fish making its way back into the State post the ban period after being kept in cold storage somewhere,” he said.
