Assam's Fish Safety Measures: Details Are Needed, Says Gauhati High Court
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Digital Desk: The Assam government's Fishery Department has been ordered by the Gauhati High Court to provide an affidavit outlining the steps taken in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to limit the import, stocking, and sale of fish from other states, with a particular emphasis on fish preserved with formaldehyde. The Kamrup (Metro) district is covered by the order, which was issued in response to worries about the use of hazardous chemicals to keep fish marketable for extended periods of time.Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Suman Shyam, who make up the division bench, heard arguments on the SOP's implementation before issuing this directive. These SOPs were put in place by the Assam government to regulate the import of fish from neighboring states by road and river, making sure they adhere to safety regulations, through a notification dated January 20, 2024. Nonetheless, the petitioner's attorney brought up issues regarding discrepancies in inspection findings from different agencies, suggesting potential flaws in the SOPs.
A disparity in test findings from various institutions, such as the State Public Health Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Gauhati University, Nagaon College, Dibrugarh University, and district-level Fishery Department staff, was brought before the court. The petitioner's attorney claimed that although formaldehyde was found in fish imported from other states by other agencies, the chemical was not detected in the fishery department's own survey.
Due to these discrepancies, the High Court mandated that the Fisheries Department provide a thorough affidavit detailing the actions taken in the Kamrup (Metro) district as well as the outcomes of tests carried out by the authorized nodal entities in accordance with the SOP, to be submitted in three weeks. The following hearing has been set for May 13, 2024 by the court.
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