Fish import ban will continue, says Goa health minister

The ban on the import of fish into Goa would continue and the state was not bothered about "any threats" on the issue, state Health minister Vishwajit Rane said Saturday.

The Goa government on November 10 announced a ban on import of fish into the state for six months against the backdrop of a scare that formalin, a potential cancer-causing chemical, was being used to preserved fish.

Rane's comments come amid media reports that some people in Karwar in neighbouring Karnataka had stopped fish-laden trucks from Goa from entering there.

Earlier a Maharashtra MLA had reportedly threatened to disallow Goa-based trucks from entering the neighbouring state's Konkan region in protest against the fish import ban.

"Let Maharashtra and Karnataka do what they want. We are not going to lift the ban. We have imposed the ban to stall any illegal transport of fish into Goa without complying with FDA (Food and Drug Administration) directives," Rane said Saturday.

"Goa is not bothered about any threat from anyone. Our concern at present is to eliminate the fear of formalin from the minds of our consumers and we are committed to do that," he added.

He said that anyone opposed to the state's fish import ban was free to approach court.