Fish poisoning case in Havelock Hotels; Concerned Departments claim “All Is Well”

John Wilber & Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Mar 13: Around 50 staffs some hotels in Havelock had suffered Fish poisoning recently and they now allege that the main reason behind the fish poisoning was use of dangerous chemicals, allegedly used by fishermen to preserve fish.
Sadly concerned departments like Fisheries and Food Safety still maintain that they regularly conduct inspections and they never found any chemicals on the fish at various fish markets, they had inspected.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, the Director of Fisheries Department, Dr Utpal Kumar Sar said that Fisheries Department conducts regular awareness campaign in these Islands and in last four month they have conducted around 15 such campaigns where they have taught the Fishermen, how to preserve the Fish without using chemicals.
He also said that Central Fisheries Research Institute, Barracpore, Kolkata is on its last stage to create an instrument that will deduct any type of chemicals on fishes and when it is done it will be easier for the department to inspect fishes in various fish markets, in coming future.
Further talking to Andaman Sheekha, the designated Food Safety Officer told that they regularly do surprise inspections and regularly visit Fish Markets to check illegal use of chemicals but they never found any fish with chemicals.
Now the question is no chemical is being used to preserve fish, why often public get foul smelling fish in fish markets? Are the fishermen smarter than Fisheries Department and Food Safety unit?
However the million dollar question here is when after this last Fish Poisoning case of Havelock, when victims had expressed suspicion over use of dangerous chemicals then why the concerned officers at Havelock did not send the food samples to Mainland Labs for examination? Isn’t this a major lapse? Shouldn’t the Food Safety Commission question the officer in Charge of Havelock Hospital in this regard?