The city Corporation seized a load of fish, suspected to be laced with formalin, brought from Mangaluru in the early hours of Thursday to be supplied to various markets in the city.
Nearly 2.5 tonnes of Threadfin bream ( Navara or Kilimeen in local parlance), estimated to cost around ₹5 lakh, was seized from Pattom while the fish-laden truck was on its way to the Pangode fish market around 3 a.m.
Fine slapped
Corporation’s health wing officials detected the presence of formalin using the rapid detection kits developed by the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology.
The load was then shifted to the Corporation office and the agents were slapped a fine of ₹25,000.
The operation was undertaken by the Eagle Eye special squad constituted by the corporation to check sale of stale and chemical-laced fish in the city’s markets.
The health wing had confiscated 663 kg of formalin-laced fish and 1,122 kg of stale fish following raids on various markets two weeks ago.
Mayor K. Sreekumar told the media that the operation had put to rest the allegations that the civic body was going soft on fish importers and agents, while targeting fish vendors.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to practices that adversely affect public health. The sale of contaminated fish will not be permitted,” he said.
He added that the samples collected would be sent to the Commissionerate of Food Safety and the Public Health Laboratory for detailed examination.
The ongoing drive would be extended to all wholesale markets and shops that sold fish.
During festive season
The Mayor chaired a meeting of health officers and supervisors on Wednesday to devise steps to check the import of adulterated food products during the Christmas-New Year festive season.
Health Inspectors Sujith Sudhakar, Shaji K. Nair, S.S. Minu and G. Mithran, junior health inspectors Aji, Rajesh, Shaji M.S., Saiju and Keen S. Pavithran were part of the team that took part in the early-morning operation.
