Our govt won’t allow fish or any food item to be consumed by Goans unless permitted by law: CM Parrikar

Panaji, July 24: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured the Assembly that the Goa govt will not allow fish or any food item using preservatives that are not permitted by law to be consumed by Goans and all mechanism for testing fish will be put in place before lifting the ban on fish import on Monday.

 

He also conveyed the house that the Formalin found in the imported fish by the FDA was what is naturally present in the fish. “It was not externally added Formalin. Fish and even fruits, vegetable and also meat naturally contain Formalin,” said CM Parrikar.

On Sunday, 116 fish samples collected from various markets across Goa, since July 13, have tested negative for formalin or any other chemical contamination said Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

 

FDA in a report released with regards to the testing of fish samples, has stated that so far 116 samples of different fish including prawns, burante, karbat, etc, were tested randomly in markets of Panjim, Margao, Vasco, Mapusa, Arpora, Bicholim and Ponda and that all the test results showed that there was no contamination.

Goa Government has currently banned fish imports till August 3. CM Manohar Parrikar in his tweet had stated this ban in the interest of the Goans.

This issue became a point for the oppositions to create a ruckus in the State Assembly proceedings leading to several adjournments. CM Parrikar also said that govt is ready to consider extending the ban on import of fish in the interest of people's health. Govt to initiate criminal action against the fish trader who is found involved using #Formalin to preserve fish.