Girish Chodankar - Latest News Update, Information, Photos & Videos on Girish Chodankar at Lokmat Times

The Congress party on Thursday urged the state government to appoint Iva Fernandes as a designated officer with full power at Margao wholesale market for testing fish to ensure that formalin is not used for their preservation.In a letter to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, state Congress chief Girish Chodankar has demanded that Fernandes, a senior FDA officer, should be appointed as the officer at Margao market to keep a check on fish imported from other states."You are fully aware that on June 12 last year, a surprise raid was conducted at the Margao Fish Market by the FDA under the designated officer Iva Fernandes and the fish tested was found positive for formalin," Chodankar said."The confusion and fear started as the morning positive report became negative in the evening. The unwarranted interference of Cabinet ministers on the issue created more fear and anxiety in the minds of fish consuming Goans. As a result, the sale of fish dropped drastically," he added.Chodankar pointed out that a fish testing laboratory set up by the Central government at Margao is yet to become functional."Your various ministers made various promises since then, including world-class fish-testing laboratories at Margao. Former union minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the new office and laboratory complex of the Export Inspection Agency (EIA) at SGPDA, Margao on January 28, 2019, which was to be operationalised by March 2019. But till date, the laboratory is yet to start functioning," Chodankar said.Last year, Goa saw a scare after suspicion had arisen that some fish imported were laced with formalin, a chemical that has the potential to cause cancer.After tests confirmed the presence of formalin in fish, the Goa government had banned the import of fish from outside the state.The state Congress president said that the party's demand was accepted by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sardesai."The non-appointment of Iva Fernandes till date has created more suspicion, fear, and anxiety in the minds of the people. People have reason to believe that Iva Fernandes is being kept away to protect the fish mafia involved in importing/selling formalin-laced fish," Chodankar said.He further said, "I would like to draw your attention to the recent press conference held by Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao that formalin laced fish has already entered Goa and (he) expressed fear that we are consuming poisonous fish. In such circumstances, it is paramount to appoint Iva Fernandes."( With inputs from ANI )

Girish ChodankarFOLLOW

Girish chodankar, Latest News

The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar for alleged scams in the construction of infrastructure for the 36th National Games and the inability of the government to complete the projects in time for the even ...

Residents of Goa's capital and other outlying areas are bracing for more than 48 hours of water scarcity after a landslide washed away two key pipelines which supply water from the Opa reservoir in Ponda sub district to North Goa, including Panaji. ...

The Congress in Goa has demanded a CBI probe into an alleged multi-crore beach cleaning scam, accusing the state tourism ministry and a private contractor of violating general financial rules while awarding of the contract in 2017. ...

The Congress in Goa has demanded a CBI probe into an alleged multi-crore beach cleaning scam, accusing the state tourism ministry and a private contractor of violating general financial rules while awarding of the contract in 2017. ...

The Goa Congress will file a petition on Thursday before the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, seeking disqualification of 10 MLAs, who left the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last month. ...

The Congress in Goa on Thursday filed a disqualification petition against 10 MLAs who quit the party and joined the BJP last month. ...

The BJP-led coalition government on Friday temporarily withdrew a controversial draft Goa Coastal Zone Management plan, even as legislators across party lines cited deficiencies and errors in the document, which when finalised would form the legal ba ...

The Congress party on Thursday urged the state government to appoint Iva Fernandes as a designated officer with full power at Margao wholesale market for testing fish to ensure that formalin is not used for their preservation. ...