Assam: Formaldehyde level high in imported fish from other states

HC directs state authorities to follow relevant SOP in full letter and spirit

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday directed the Fishery department and other state authorities to follow 'in its full letter and spirit' the SOP issued earlier by the state government to check the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported from other states so that the menace can be checked. In the SOP dated November 14, 2023, certain duties have been assigned to the State Level Task Force and the District Level Task Force in order to check the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported into Assam.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N. Unni Krishnan Nair issued the order while disposing of a PIL petition (31/2023) raising a concern about the presence of a high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported into Assam from other states and the inaction on the part of the state government to resolve the issue.

The PIL petition expressed concern about the presence of a high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported into Assam from other states, which, it said, is more than the permissible limit. The petitioner had placed reliance on certain news articles published in daily newspapers and on certain other material in support of the contention that the state government is not taking any effective measures to check the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported from other states.

In response to the writ petition, a consolidated affidavit was filed by the Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam in the Fishery Department on behalf of the Assam government as well as the Fishery Department, wherein it is stated that to check the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported from the other states, the state government had prepared an SOP dated November 14, 2023, wherein certain measures have been advised to be adopted for checking the said menace.

P. Agarwal, counsel for the petitioner, also submitted that if the state government and its instrumentalities strictly follow the directions given in the SOP, then the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported from the other states can be checked to an extent.

The bench, after going through the said SOP, noted that certain duties have been assigned to the State Level Task Force and the District Level Task Force in order to check the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported into Assam.

In light of the facts and circumstances of the case, the bench offered the opinion that this PIL petition can be disposed of with a direction to the respondents to follow the SOP in its full letter and spirit so that the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported from other states can be checked.

The order states, "It is expected that the said Task Forces shall carry out the instructions given in the SOP in its full letter and spirit. It is also expected that if there is any complaint either from an individual or association regarding the high percentage of formaldehyde in the fish imported from the other states, the State Level Task Force or the District Level Task Force shall immediately act upon and take effective action to prevent the same."

With this order and direction, the PIL was disposed of.

Also Read: Formaldehyde in fish: Samples to be sent to CIFT Cochin, Gauhati High Court told

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