PANAJI: The Goa Congress Saturday demanded a ban on the import of fish after the party's state unit chief claimed that several samples of fish it had tested showed presence of formalin.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar and several party workers Saturday carried out random checks of fish in the South Goa Planning and Development Authoritys market near Margao town, 35 kms away from here.
"We had carried government approved testing kits with us during the check. We were shocked that majority of fish samples tested positive for formalin," Chodankar told PTI.
"Fish imports into Goa should be banned till there is a foolproof mechanism in place to check formalin-laced fish. People should get confidence that the fish is safe for consumption," Chodankar said.
His allegations were, however, refuted by Goa FDA minister Vishwajit Rane who claimed that the Congress had raked up the issue of formalin in fish as it was frustrated at not being able to reach the 21-MLA mark to form a government in the state.
In a press conference, Rane reiterated that there was no formalin in fish coming into Goa.
He challenged the Congress to conduct these tests along with FDA officials and asked the opposition party to not create panic among people.
"The Congress party is frustrated as they have failed to show that it has 21 MLAs in its fold. They are so depressed at being out of power that they are trying to create confusion in the ruling coalition.
That is why they have raked up the formalin in fish issue," Rane alleged.