Formalin In Fish: Samples Collected From Sambalpur, Balangir Markets

Sambalpur/Balangir: In a crackdown on use of cancer-causing chemical to preserve fish stocks, a joint team of Fisheries and Animal Resource Development department and Sambalpur Municipal Corporation on Tuesday raided several markets and godowns in the district.

“Samples of different varieties of fish were collected during simultaneous raids on prominent fish markets and godowns at Ainthapali and Kamli Bazaar. These will be sent to the state testing food laboratory,” an official from Sambalpur Municipal Corporation said.

Presence of formalin in fish can cause different types of diseases including cancer, kidney-related ailments and severe headache.

Similar raids were also carried out at different fish markets at Rugudipada area in Balangir district by the department and municipal corporation officials.

Raids were also carried out at various locations in Cuttack on Monday.

Meanwhile, Jai Jawan Matsya Byabasai Sangh has decided to stop sale of marine fish in Bhubaneswar for 10 days.

“The decision was taken by the organisation keeping the concern and safety of the city denizens in mind,” Jambeswar Mallick, a member of the Sangh had said on Monday.

Notably, fisheries and animal resources development secretary Vishal Gagan on July 13 had confirmed presence of formalin in Pamphlet fish samples collected from the Unit-4 fish market in Bhubaneswar.

In a letter to the district public health officers and municipal corporations, commissioner of food safety Archana Patnaik has asked them to collect samples of fish and send them to the National Food Testing Laboratory.

Citing reports in the print and electronic media, she directed the aforesaid officials to ask the food safety officers concerned to collect random samples.