Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 16
The Nagaland state’s Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW) has prohibited the storage, distribution or sale of Fresh Fish and fish products including Molluscs, Crustaceans and echinoderms treated with Formalin or any other forms of chemical preservatives in Nagaland with immediate effect.
Stating the same in a notification, the department informed that fish vendor selling fresh fish and fish products including Crustaceans treated with formalin, which is highly toxic and harmful to health in violation of Government Notification dated 21/12/2018.
In the notification issued here today through a press conference, the department stated that in pursuance of Regulation 9.1 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additive Regulations 2011) the term “Fresh” refers to fish and fish products including Molluscs, Crustaceans, and echinoderms that are untreated except for refrigeration, storage on ice or freezing upon catching at sea or in lakes or other water bodies to prevent decomposition and spoilage.”
“Distribution, storage and sale of Fresh Fish products treated or laced with formalin or any other forms of chemical preservatives renders the food article as “Unsafe” under section3(1) (ZZ) (V) of Food Safety and Standards Act’2006, it said.
Accordingly, in the exercise of the power conferred under Clause (a) of Sub-section (2) of Section 30 the 2006 Act, the department issued the notification prohibiting the storage, distribution or sale of Fresh Fish and fish products including Molluscs, Crustaceans and echinoderms treated with Formalin or any other forms of chemical preservatives with immediate effect.
Non-compliance to this notification would be an offence and will attract penalties up to Rs 10 lakh with imprisonment under section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act’2006, added the notification signed by Y Kikheto Sema, Commissioner of Food Safety to the Government of Nagaland, DoHFW.
Further, the Designated Officer/Food Safety Officer of the districts have been directed to strengthen surveillance activity and carry out inspection, checking, testing and sampling of the Fresh fish consignment before distribution for sale under its jurisdiction.
This extension notification of prohibition is issued in the interest of Public Health, it added
