The news of testing of edible products, including fish, milk, vegetables and fruits imported into Goa by Export Inspection Council (EIC), a Central authority for certification of seafood for export, is a welcome step towards restoring the confidence of the people which have been severely crippled post the infamous formalin-in-fish episode of July.
Suddenly we see a sense of purpose as Health Minister Vishwajit Rane goes about trying every trick in the book to restore public confidence. A few days back Rane disclosed plans of an agency of international repute, possibly one from Singapore, Japan or Dubai being roped in to strengthen the mechanism of fish testing in Goa. Now comes an EIC test, plus plans to set up a state-of-the-art laboratory facility for testing edible products and a mobile food testing facility managed by Quality Control of India.
The fact that govt has initiated a protocol for sampling and testing of formalin involving EIC, Food Safety and Standard Authority of India, Marine Products Export Development Authority and Quality Council of India reflects a sense of sudden seriousness dawning on it.
But why did it take over three months for the govt to move in this direction? What does this belated response mean when the very minister consistently remained in denial mode and scoffed at every suspicion raised over formalin in fish or quality of fruits and vegetables that are imported? Could it be the Congress spot test which left the govt red-faced only to discard it as sheer theatrics? Is it the public resentment that was piling on by the day? Or is it the threat of looming polls that the govt is trying to apply a calming balm on Goan minds?
Whichever the reason, the fact is that the govt has silently conceded that there is indeed a question mark over quality of imported fish. It has now resigned to the fact that FDA is not equipped to manage the Goa markets, which are not restricted to only fish. It’s a subtle admission of failure that forced the government to look beyond the State and even the Country to put mechanisms in place.
But all of these are long term plans and will still need further time to be operative. Three months have been wasted in denial, and the random tests conducted by the FDA at check-posts and subsequently at the wholesale markets have not been very convincing. For Goans, fish is part of their daily lives. People want fool-proof systems and not random ones. There need to bring immediate interim measures to plug loopholes in the system. Public confidence in imported fish cannot change the way the FDA tests changed colour, it will take time no matter how big and ingenious the plans are. It remains to be seen how far all these proposed systems succeed in clearing the air over fish controversies.
