PETITIONER'S
CONTENTION
>> Petitioner Sanjeev Srinivas Pai Raiturcar argued that the market conducted by the Development Authority itself was not following norms
>> The market does not have various licences as required under the Goa Municipalities Act, Town and Country Planning Act and the Health Act, he argued
>> Either the market is to be conducted by Municipal Council. And if it is a private market, various conditions laid down therein have not been fulfilled, he said
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WHAT'S PERMISSIBLE
LIMIT FOR FORMALIN
Court's observation ...
>> The Authority and the State has submitted before us that the formalin is a naturally occurring substance in the fish, and upon death of the fish it is released in its body
>> Formalin is a toxic substance and therefore, even though it is naturally occurring it cannot be ingested in large quantity
>> The issue therefore would be, what is permissible limit for the formalin occurring in the fish
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PANAJI: The formalin controversy in the state took yet another turn on Monday when the state government revealed it wasn’t sure who runs or operates the Margao wholesale fish market before the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Petitioner Sanjeev Srinivas Pai Raiturcar who has also joined his petition in the matter argued before the court that the market itself was not following norms.
Raiturcar alleged that the wholesale market is conducted by the Development Authority and does not have various licences as required under the Goa Municipalities Act, Town and Country Planning Act and the Health Act and also does not have permissions from the Pollution Control Board. “Either the market is to be conducted by the Municipal Council or it is a private market, and if it is a private market, various conditions laid down therein have not been fulfilled,” he said.
In response, the Advocate General said that the market “may be controlled by the Margao Municipal Council” and that he would verify the position and place on record and will be placed on record by way of an affidavit.”
The High Court then mandated the State government to inform about the factual position. State will have to file an affidavit as to whether the wholesale market at Margao is controlled by the Planning Authority or the Municipal Council or it is a private market… If there are lacunae in respect of conducting of the wholesale market, the steps be taken to correct them accordingly… If the Act mandates an action to be taken for breach of the conditions, it is obligatory on the controlling authority to take necessary action. The State will accordingly place on record the action which it has taken and plans to take in respect of the authorisation of the traders as well as the pollution control measures and the overall hygiene, the High Court ruled.
The High Court also asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority to notify the court regarding the permissible standards for formalin in fish.
“The Authority and the State has submitted before us that the formalin is a naturally occurring substance in the fish, and upon death of the fish it is released in its body… formalin is a toxic substance and therefore, even though it is naturally occurring it cannot be ingested in large quantity. The issue therefore would be, what is permissible limit for the formalin occurring in the fish,” the High Court observed.
After the FSSAI told the court that the issue (of limits) is referred to the scientific committee and the limit will have to be specified in respect of different species of fish, the court directed the Central Authority to expedite the process initiated.
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FISH TRUCKS TO
BE CHECKED AT
7 ENTRY POINTS
PANAJI: The Health Ministry has directed the Transport and Police departments to check trucks transporting fish into the State for compliance with food safety laws at seven different entry points. A corrigendum to an earlier October 26 circular issued on Monday by Under Secretary (Health) Maria Seomara De Souza, has listed the check-posts at Pollem, Patradevi, Mollem, Naibag, Kiranpani, Querim, besides any other entry points or check-posts as deemed necessary.
"Personnel posted at all the above check-posts shall stamp the challans, invoices or any other documents pertaining to the consignments to indicate that the vehicles have entered Goa only after police verification," the corrigendum to the October 26 circular, said.
The October 26 circular had mandated that vehicles transporting fish meant for export and processing in addition to compliance of the requirements of FDA, shall also carry the 'Transporters Licence' issued under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations.
The Goa goverrnment has since Saturday last launched a crackdown on fish carrying vehicles entering the State and have only allowed those that supply the marine export processing units and the fish meal factories operating in the State.
None of the fish being transported for local consumption and for sale in the local markets are being allowed as they have failed to register themselves and obtain the necessary registrations from the FDA.
The government's stringent action follows months of uncertainty over the safety of fish sold in local markets in the aftermath of the raging formalin-in-fish imbroglio which first broke out on July 12.
The latest crackdown, meanwhile, is threatening to snowball with fish wholesalers operating at the lone wholesale market in Margao threatening to strike and throw supplies of the Goan staple in jeopardy. As a last-ditch effort to resolve the issue, Moulana Ibrahim, the president of the Wholesalers Association, has knocked the doors of the Chief Secretary to engage with them for a solution.
