SOME QUESTIONS
>> Strength of the manpower sent to test the fish quality at the border
>> Whether they are trained
>> How are the samples collected
>> Is the ice that is used to freeze the fish tested for formalin
>> Has the FDA found metals like mercury, copper, lead in samples
-------------------------------------
PANAJI: The Opposition Congress on Monday kept up the pressure on the question of formalin-laced fish entering the State saying the government's action to check quality of fish entering the state at the borders lacked seriousness.
Congress spokesperson Urfan Mulla said the party will submit a list of 23 questions over ensuring safe quality of fish in local markets to both the Health Minister Vishwajit Rane who presides over the FDA and Fisheries Minister Vinoda Paliencar.
Mulla also questioned the absence of FDA officials at the Pollem check-post on Friday night when an RTO official was caught in a sting-video taking a bribe to let in a truck and accused Rane and Paliencar of lacking seriousness in tackling the grave risk to public health posed by imported fish of uncertain quality.
Mulla said the list of 23 questions related to quality assurance of fish will be sent to the two ministers shortly.
He listed out 'strength of the manpower sent to test the fish quality at the border' and whether they are trained. How are the samples collected? Is the ice that is used to freeze the fish tested for formalin? Has the FDA found metals like mercury, copper, lead and the like in fish samples it has been testing over the past two years?
Meanwhile, Mulla also questioned the government's belated action against RTO inspector Narayan Phadte, who was suspended on Monday, for allegedly accepting a bribe to let a truck enter the state at the Pollem check-post.
"There was no FDA official present at the check-post even after Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Rane had promised 24x7 checks by the FDA," Mulla said.
Fadte was suspended on Monday after the video A group of people including Congressman Janardhan Bhandari had gone to the Pollem check-point early morning at around 2 am to make sure the FDA were carrying out tests to look for formalin-laced fish. However, besides finding no FDA official, the team found inspector Phadte taking a bribe to let a truck through, which Phadte later admitted to.
However, the Congress expressed that suspending Phadte was not good enough. "Phadte should have been suspended on the spot, and a judicial inquiry should have been carried out," said spokesperson Urfan Mullah, even as he asked whether the PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar was involved in the racket.
Congress Mullah also insisted that the government, specifically Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and Fisheries Minister Vinoda Palienkar, were not serious about the health of Goans.
