Puri/Rayagada: A joint team of the public health engineering organisation, fisheries and marine fisheries departments Friday carried out simultaneous raids at different outlets in Puri town and its nearby areas and collected fish samples.
The samples were sent to a Bhubaneswar-based laboratory for examination. The team comprising assistant district fishery officer (marine) Debendra Behera, assistant fishery officer Subhashree Das and food safety officer Rajeswari Pati conducted raids at fish markets near Station Bazaar, Swargadwar and Penthakata and collected five samples.
Besides, the officials also made the vendors and the customers aware of the harmful effects of consuming formalin-laced fish.
Similarly, samples of different varieties of fish were collected during raids at various markets and outlets at Over Bridge Bazaar and daily market in Rayagada. The samples were also sent for examination to a laboratory.
Earlier, the presence of formalin was found in two fish samples collected at Buthapada fish market in Sambalpur Thursday.
A joint team of fisheries department and Sambalpur Municipal Corporation officials collected four samples and examined them on the spot. Traces of the toxic chemical were found in the samples of two freshwater fish.
The raids sparked panic among the fish traders as many of them locked up their godowns and fled. The discovery of the formalin in the fish samples has also sparked serious concern among fish lovers who are now worried about their health.
PNN
