The state government is contemplating the construction of a dedicated testing centre to check the presence of formalin in fish imported into the state.
Fisheries Minister AL Hek today said that Pasteur Institute has a lab that can be converted into a testing centre. The food safety authorities had placed a 15-day ban on imported fish because of the presence of banned formalin found in numerous samples of fish. Traders want testing conducted at Khlieh Iewduh, where the fish are unloaded after transport to zero in on contaminated supplies and restore confidence among the public.
Meanwhile, Hek said that the fact-finding committee constituted by the department to investigate the presence of formalin in the fish has yet to submit its report. The fact finding team is trying to reach a conclusion on how and where the formalin was injected into the fish. Formalin is banned in foodstuffs but is used by unscrupulous persons to delay deterioration of fish meat.
The minister also informed that Meghalaya is now producing almost 50 per cent of the fish consumed within its borders locally and is aiming to increase this proportion further; the state government has been pouring money for years into its aquaculture mission to increase local production.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, meanwhile, said that her department has sought reports from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department and Fisheries Department on the safety of fish, pork and beef.
Beef consumption has taken a hit in Meghalaya with the arrival of lumpy skin disease (LSD), while pigs have also been affected by African Swine Fever. Many cattle and pigs have died from these diseases and the consumption of the meat of infected animals is prohibited, although the diseases themselves do not affect humans.
Reacting to these concerns, Lyngdoh said that she has inquired how much time it will take to put a cap on the consumption of certain meats and she asked the public to adhere to government advisories.
