Raids were conducted on several fish markets and godowns of Sambalpur and Balangir towns on Tuesday over presence of cancer-causing formalin chemical in fishes.
Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) officials collected the samples from various fish markets in the town and sent them for tests in laboratories in Bhubaneswar. However, the fish traders claimed that they had stopped procuring fishes from Andhra Pradesh after traces of Formalin was found in their supply.
A joint team of the Fisheries Department and the Enforcement Squad of SMC conducted raids in different markets of the city. “We have collected the samples and would be sending them for tests,’ said a health official.
The officials conducted searches and collected samples from wholesalers in Tangli Bazaar. The team also visited Motijharan but the market was locked up by traders, who fled from the spot after they got wind of the raids. So, samples could be only collected from retailers, the official added.
Similarly, officials of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department in Balangir raided the fish shops at Rugudipada and collected samples to test the presence of Formalin in it. However a fish seller said, “We usually sell local fishes. We have no problem if raids are being carried out.” On Monday, the Commissioner of Food Safety, in a letter, directed all the District Public Health Officers-cum-Designated Officers and Municipal Corporations of the State to collect samples of fish and send it to the National Food Testing laboratory.
Earlier, traces of cancer-causing Formalin were detected from Pomfret fish samples in Bhubaneswar following which the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Monday, conducted raids on several fish markets and godowns.