This story is from November 11, 2018

Six boxes of fish found in interstate bus at Panaji

Six boxes of fish found in interstate bus at Panaji
Representative image
PANAJI: Wholesale fish traders from Margao intercepted a privately-run interstate bus at the Panaji bus terminus on Saturday, and seized six thermacol boxes of fish that were intended for sale in the Goa market.
The boxes, each holding around 35kg of fish mostly prawns and kingfish were found to be stashed in the bus’s storage compartment. They were later handed over to the Old Goa police station.

In a similar incident the day before, wholesalers said they seized fish that was brought in via buses, at Margao.
President of the Margao Wholesale Fish Market Association, Maulana Ibrahim, told STOI it was clear that fish continued to be brought into the state in contravention of existing regulations. “Where is the food and drugs administration (FDA) and where is health minister Vishwajit Rane? If stale fish is being brought to the wholesale market and sold to the public, it is our reputation that is at stake,” Ibrahim said.
The association has demanded that the permits of the buses in question be cancelled to deter others from indulging in the illegality.
“We haven’t been able to sleep over the past three days as we have been on our feet, intercepting illegal transportation of fish into the state. But we can’t keep on checking each and every bus that arrives into Goa from Maharashtra and Karnataka,” a member said.
“If Rane fails to act, we will consider that he is also involved in this illegal trade. He must act against these buses the way he has decided to act against the wholesale fish traders. We also expect him to ensure that trade doesn’t suffer,” another member said.
When contacted, Rane said the fish that was seized on Saturday was transported to the solid waste management plant at Saligao to be destroyed.
Health minister Vishwajit Rane said the seized consignments were later transported to the solid waste management plant at Saligao to be destroyed.
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