Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar on Monday said government will take all steps to provide formalin-free fish to people of Goa.
The minister also warned to take strict action against those who try to circumvent the annual 61-day fishing ban in the State.
“Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) department was keeping a strict watch on use of formalin in fish. Our department officials will be moving around in various markets and if they find anything amiss they will report to the FDA,” said Halarnkar
He further said that his department has taken care to ensure that Goans are not fed with formalin-laced fish.
During the monsoon, when a 61-day fishing ban is in place in the coastal state, Goa gets most of its fish from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala.
The monsoon ban was introduced in the 1980s as a way to prevent overfishing during the time that fish spawned.
Goans traditionally tided over this period by eating salted, preserved fish, but recent years have seen a rise in shipments from other states.
Formalin is a toxic chemical which is used to preserve bodies and prevent its decay in mortuaries. It is derived from formaldehyde, a potential cancer-inducing chemical.
