SHILLONG: While many Northeastern states have already banned the import of fish from Andhra Pradesh citing traces of formalin, which are unhealthy for human beings, the Meghalaya government is buying time before imposing the ban.
Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary in charge Health, PW Ingty had said that the second test report was positive and this will be further examined, though the government claims that everything is negative.
The official, however, had said that it was upto the review meeting scheduled on Wednesday to decide on the matter.
Curiously, the government has decided not to ban the import of fish from Andhra Pradesh after holding a meeting with the association of fish merchants in the city.
An official source said that some fish merchants in Shillong have invested in fish ponds in Andhra Pradesh.
Sources added that if a ban is imposed, they will be affected.
Earlier, the fish merchants had already communicated to their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh to ensure that the fishes imported from Andhra Pradesh are free from any sort of contamination.
The Shillong fish merchants and their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh have already made it clear that no formalin was used in the fishes while exporting to Meghalaya.
However, Nagaland and Manipur had already banned the import of fish from Andhra Pradesh so also several other states citing that the tests revealed traces of formalin.
