Goa to lift fish import ban

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The Goa government on Thursday announced that it would lift the ban on import of fish. The 15-day ban till August 5 had been imposed following a scare that toxic formalin was used to preserve fish.

The state Health Ministry warned fish traders against importing contaminated fishes and announced the setting up of vetting mechanisms on two border check-posts -- Polem, South Goa and Patradevi, North Goa -- where the fishes would be first examined by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials before entering the state.

An order issued by the Under Secretary (Health) Maria Desouza said the inspection of consignments at the state borders would be carried out for a period of one month from August 5.

"As an endeavour to ensure the availability of safe fish to the consumers, the FDA Directorate along with the assistance of the Goa Police, Directorate of Transport and Fisheries will be carrying out checks on incoming fish laden trucks at the state borders during the month of August 2018," it said.

"The FDA team shall be deputed at these check-posts for inspection and checking the quality of fish brought from outside the state," the order said, asking fish traders to obtain proper licenses within 15 days of the issuance of the order.

Last month, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar banned all import of seafood, after a FDA raid last month revealed traces of formalin in fish consignments.

Parrikar in a statement made in the state legislative assembly last week however maintained that the formalin scare was driven by hype and a misinformation campaign.

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