the goan I network
PANAJI
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said not a single case of “added” formalin in fish has been detected in Goa this season.
According to the Health Minister, the Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has been “regularly” conducting tests on the fish samples which are imported and sold in local markets and none of these have been detected with “added” formalin.
Vishwajit tabled the answer on the last day of the Legislative Assembly in response to an unstarred question asked by Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha.
The Health Minister said that there was “regular” testing of fish by the FDA staff at border check-posts and major markets. “From June 15 till date, 6,003 samples were tested, with no detection of added formaldehyde,” he informed.
The Cortalim MLA sought to know the safety levels of the fish coming into the State from outside with respect to use of formalin for preservation, and the steps the government has presently taken to ensure that the fish is safe for consumption.
In response, Vishwajit claimed that the government has engaged the services of the Quality Council of India (QCI) to carry out checks at the State borders at Patradevi and Pollem, and at various Goan markets at random.
He said that checks by the QCI at the two notified borders had commenced from June 15, 2019, and 24x7 checks were being carried out. “QCI will also carry out checks at various markets in the State using its mobile fish testing laboratory,” he added.
Space for the much-promised, but still not executed, lab in the SGPDA has also been allotted, his reply stated further.
The minister added that the Food and Drugs Laboratory has been “upgraded” through the funds provided by the Central Government with high-end instruments like GC-MSMS, LC-MS-MS, ICP-MS, which are under installation. “Thus, the Food and Drugs Laboratory will be equipped to handle higher quantity of samples and to carry out the sophisticated tests for pesticide residue, etc.”
Public Prosecutor: Report of scientific officer confirms formalin in fish, but in permissible limits
MARGAO: In an interesting development in the formalin in fish case, Public Prosecutor Subhash Desai on Friday submitted before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao that report of the scientific officer had confirmed the presence of formalin in the sample of fish tested by him in July last year, but added that the presence of formalin was within the permissible limits.
He hence prayed before the Court presided by Judge Shilpa Pandit to reject the application moved by city-based lawyer, Adv Rajiv Gomes, saying the applicant has failed to disclose the commission of any cognizable offence in the case.
During arguments, the Public Prosecutor quoted the content of the finding of the scientific officer, who had performed the tests last year, stating that the concentration of Formaldehyde in marine fish is found up to 2.95pp. Based on the scientific information that marine fish naturally contains certain amounts of formaldehyde, the scientific officer had opined that the samples of fish tested were found to contain free formaldehyde to be within permissible limits. The report of the scientific officer has already been submitted to the court.
PP Desai, who was asked by the Home department to appear before the JFMC court in the formalin case after the matter was adjourned on two previous occasions since Special Public Prosecutor G D Kirtani was indisposed, further submitted before the court that ingestion of large amount of formalin can cause ailments like vomiting, abdominal pain, renal injury, etc.
The Public Prosecutor vehemently objected to the application made by Adv Rajiv Gomes stating that though registration of FIR is mandatory under section 154 of the CrPC, the present petition filed by the applicant has failed to disclose the commission of any cognizable offence.
Adv Gomes had filed a complaint dated July 21, 2018 before the Fatorda police station stating that the wholesale fish agents and others had added formalin to the fish, which was unsafe and dangerous for human consumption and had asked the police to register the FIR in the matter. The next hearing is on August 16.
