Valeriyan,

district

president, Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Federation, eats a raw prawn at a protest gathering of

fish vendors

in front of secretariat to show not all fish are unsafe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the seizure of an eight tonne consignment at Aryankavu checkpost in Kollam on Monday night, the total quantity of fish seized by food safety department under Operation Sagar Rani has risen to 28 tonnes. In the backdrop of several such seizures, health minister K K Shailaja convened an emergency meeting of officials of food safety to review the situation.The health minister directed food safety officials to file FIRs immediately if the fish samples are found to have presence of chemicals in the preliminary test conducted using the kit developed by Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT). Food safety commissioner M G Rajamanickam has asked his counterparts in other states to ensure that consignment of fish rejected by Kerala is destroyed.There were four major seizures since June 9 at check posts in Walayar, Poovar and Aryankavu. While around 8,000 kg of stale fish were seized from Walayar on June 9, presence of formalin was found in 6,000kg of fish tested at Poovar checkpost on June 22. Another seizure was made at Walayar on June 24 when food safety officials intercepted 6,000 kg of formalin-laced fish. On June 25, officials seized 8,000kg of formalin-laced fish at Aryankavu checkpost along with 1,600kg of stale fish. “Most of these consignments arrived from places such as Hyderabad, Thoottukudi and Ramanathapuram. After taking samples for further testing, the consignments were sent to respective sources after ensuring a written undertaking that it will be destroyed there,” said the food safety commissioner.Among the 11 truck-loads of fish that arrived on Monday, two trucks contained formalin-laced fish. Around 6,000 kg of the lot was prawns on its way to Ernakulam-based private marine firm. The food safety commissioner said cases have been registered against drivers after seizing vehicles. “We will initiate action against the firms which source and distribute unsafe fish,” he said.Rajamanickam said that vehicles transporting fish must have proper freezer facilities. “If it is frozen, the fish must be preserved in -18 degrees celsius. Fresh fish must be transported in 0-degree celsius,” he said.