SHILLONG: Meghalaya’s Health and Family Welfare Minister, A L Hek said the state would not ban sale of fish as tests for formalin were found to be negative even as the government introduced a formaldehyde detection kit for keeping a check on fishes imported from outside.
“Until and unless, we are given any proof or evidence for the negative testing, for the time-being, we are not going to ban the sale of fish in Meghalaya,” he said.
Prior to the press briefing, there was a joint meeting of the Health Department and Fisheries Department with the Khasi Jaintia Wholesaler and Retailer Association had discussed at length the ban of fishes in the North Eastern states.
“The state of Meghalaya has already sent 26 samples for formalin tests to the laboratory. Out of 26 samples, the reports of 13 formalin tests have arrived. All the reports are negative. We are waiting for the results of other 13 tests which are still underway,” he said.
He said the report for the 13 tests will take two weeks but a formaldehyde detection kit arrived on Wednesday.
“From tomorrow onwards, the Fisheries department and the Health Department will jointly test all the fish in the market right from the truck that comes from Andhra Pradesh throughout the state. Even the local fish will also be tested,” Hek said.