Small traders protest outside FDA HQ
RANE-SPEAK
>> These fish traders have no wholesale market license so they cannot sell fish in the wholesale market.
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PANAJI: Less than 10 days after the government had given a nod to 'small fish traders' coming from 'within a 60 kilometer radius of Goa' being allowed to carry out trade in Goa without complying to FDA guidelines, the government now says that this stand regarding the small fish traders was "not final." The fish brought in by several traders from Karwar was destroyed at the Margao Wholesale Fish Market leading to outrage and a backlash from Karwar.
Meanwhile, 25 to 30 fish traders went in protest to the FDA headquarters on Friday, where they spent the better part of their day. However, as top FDA officials were not available to meet the fish traders with FDA director Jyoti Sardessai being out of state, the traders gheraoed the Public Information Officer on duty at the time.
They explained that as a reaction to fish being destroyed in Goa, Karwar localites did not allow Goan fish trucks to pass through the village, with fish traders alleging that the localites there had punctured the tyres of their trucks, even threatening to set their trucks on fire.
Addressing media persons, Harshad Dhond, member of Mandovi Fisher traders Association, said, "The FDA's harassment of the Karwar fish traders has become extreme. Their good fish is being destroyed." He further said that because Goans were not being allowed to enter Karwar, their good fish would rot.
Dhond also said that the FDA's move was not justified as the fish was fresh and the FDA had not conducted a test to check for chemicals. "At least they should have sent the fish back instead of destroying it," he said, while adding that if the government continued at this rate, the fish traders would take to protesting like the miners.
In response, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said via whatsapp, "As far as the 60 km radius from Maharashtra and Karnataka is concerned, we are finding a way out and have not yet come out with a final solution. These fish traders have no wholesale market license so they cannot sell fish in the wholesale market. We are very clear about the rules laid down by the FDA and we will stand by the guidelines of the FDA and Food Safety Act."
