SHILLONG: The state government is now looking to import live fish from the neighbouring state of Assam following the ban on the import of fish from Andhra Pradesh after it was found to be laced with formalin.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, PW Ingty on Monday said that a system has to be worked out on how to import live fish from the neighbouring state of Assam to Meghalaya.
Ingty said for now the Government has banned importing of fish even from Assam and will examine the matter in the next few days
When asked about the reason for banning fish even from Assam, he said that the fish with formalin were detected also in Assam and all the fish come to Meghalaya via Assam.
“How will you make out if the fish is from this place or that place,” Ingty said.
Making it clear that the Government wants fresh fish from any part of the country especially from Assam due to its close proximity with Meghalaya, he added that the Government is keen to see that people of the state get to eat fresh fish.
Meanwhile, the fish vendors and others who work in the fish trade say they have been hurt by the immediate ban on fish coming from Assam. A vendor who did not wish to be named and who has been selling fish from Assam which is normally called “local” fish and which is more expensive than Andhra fish said she does not understand why Assam fish should be banned since it is normally caught the same day and transported to Shillong immediately.
“There are several hundreds of people who rely on the fish trade for their livelihoods. The Government should think of them too. While we don’t want to promote fish with formalin we can say that Assam fish does not need to be infused with formalin,” the vendor said. Other vendors sitting at the Iewduh fish market which now wears a deserted look echoed the same feelings.
Meanwhile, Health Minister AL Hek who has just landed at Shillong on Monday from a trip outside, said that the Department would take a call on Tuesday as to how to regulate the fish trade henceforth without endangering the health of the people.
Hek said he too was concerned as there are many who choose to eat fish for health reasons and they have been complaining at the non-availability of fish even from nearby Assam.
It was last month when Meghalaya government had banned for 15 days the import and sale of fresh fish brought from outside the state, after samples tested positive for the carcinogenic substance formalin. The ban was later extended for another 15 days.
This reporter also spoke to a number of regular fish consumers and they were all of one mind that fish from Assam must be allowed to be sold in Meghalaya but there must be proper supervision. However, some were skeptical if Assam would be able to meet the fish requirements of the state.
