MARGAO: In an attempt to restore the confidence of the people in the fish sold in Goa, the government on Monday decided to rope in soon a foreign agency to check the fish.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held at the South Goa collectorate.
The meeting was attended by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane; Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai; Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyenkar; Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma; Director General of Police Muktesh Chander; food and drug administration director Jyoti Sardesai and other officials.
It was also decided to allow fish traders to complete the process to register themselves with the FDA by October 18.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Vijai Sardesai said, “We have taken cognisance of the reports in ‘The Navhind Times’ and the editorial on fish traders that appeared in Monday’s edition of the newspaper. We held this special meeting in Margao because the city is the epicentre of the problem. We discussed the issue threadbare. The fish traders, who have registered themselves with the FDA carelessly without giving details, will be thrown out.”
The meeting also deliberated on what measures need to be taken to regain the confidence of fish eaters, he said.
“We are not here to defend the traders. We are not only going to crack down on the traders selling stale and contaminated fish, but will also destroy their fish consignments. But before that a system needs to be put in place for thorough checking of fish.”
It is pertinent to note here that ‘The Navhind Times’ had first reported on the possibility of the use of formalin to preserve fish.
Rane said the meeting was held to discuss and review the measures that have been undertaken to restore the faith of Goans in the fish sold in the state.
“It was collectively decided to rope in an international agency to check the fish in Goa. The Chief Secretary and we the ministers discussed the issue threadbare… we have just spoken to the FSSAI (officials) about it. In the next 48 hours, we will identify a foreign agency, which could be from Japan or Singapore… The decision will get cabinet approval,” Rane explained. The government will work to check fish for the next one year, he said.
However, Rane answered evasively when asked as to why the FDA has registered the fish traders who did not furnish the required details.
Some of the fish traders failed to register themselves with the FDA, although the government circular issued on August 2 insisted that they must register with the FDA within 15 days under the Food Safety and Standard Act.
“The fish traders, who do not register themselves with the FDA by October 18, will not be allowed to enter the state. This will itself act as a ban. All those who have registered with the FDA with inadequate details will be debarred,” Rane said.
Concurring with Rane, the TCP Minister said that a ban on fish imports should be the last option.
The Chief Secretary said that fish laden trucks will not be allowed to park at the wholesale fish market.
“We will try to put in place a mechanism to monitor fish trucks’ entry and re-entry,” he added.