Shillong: Meghalaya has decided to ban fish imported from other states for 15 days.
Confirming this on Tuesday, additional chief secretary, P.W. Ingty said in the interest of the public safety and health, the government has decided to ban all imported fish, adding that an order in this regard would come into force from Wednesday.
Ingty said the second batch of samples collected from fishes brought from outside were sent to a laboratory in Guwahati and the test report has not come yet.
"We are still waiting for the test report on the second batch of samples. However, the government has felt it necessary to impose the ban for 15 days in the interest of the public," Ingty said.
Consumers in Meghalaya feared that fish brought from far-off places like Andhra Pradesh has been laced with preservatives (formalin), which is dangerous to human health.
The first batch of samples collected from fishes brought from outside was sent earlier for tests at the laboratory in Assam but the first test report showed negative results.
Meghalaya has no proper laboratories of its own for testing of various samples, including food items suspected to have been laced with preservatives that may harm people's health.
In 46 years of statehood since 1972, Meghalaya is yet to equip itself with a state-of-the-art laboratory.
A laboratory is urgently required especially when the state government has to immediately verify food items that contain substances that are hazardous to health.
The latest case is the testing of samples collected from fish in markets.
"We need to have our own laboratory with all the required equipments, and the government is taking steps in this regard," Ingty said.
He said the state health department has a small laboratory but it has to be upgraded with facilities.
Meghalaya has been sending samples to laboratories in Assam, Bengal and other states for test of samples of food items.
In the past few years too, the state also sent samples of ready-to-eat noodles like Maggi, and bread for tests outside the state.
Source: telegraphindia.com