'No formalin' in fish samples collected from Rourkela

Rourkela: Fish sellers in Roukela breathed a shy of relief today after the Health Department revealed that there is no cancer-causing formalin in any of the fish samples collected from various outlets here.

As many as 13 fish samples were collected and sent to laboratory  for testing and all the samples tested negative, official sources informed.

Reportedly, selling of fish was severely affected in Rourkela as almost all fish lovers stopped consuming it after formalin traces were found in a few samples in some parts of the state.

Sources said customers had been restricting themselves from buying fish, as such the fish sellers of Rourkela were forced to stop importing fish from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

A customer awareness programme was also organised today at the daily market by the Fish Sellers' Community to regain the faith of the consumers.

Mahammad Nadeem, a fish seller, said, "Reports of  formalin traces in fish is false and people should not get affected by the viral videos on the internet". He also urged the people to eat fish without any fear.

Confirming the development, Rourkela Health Officer Basanta Mishra said, "Though I am unaware of other parts of Odisha, all the 13 samples which were collected from Rourkela and sent for formalin tests tested negative." Moreover, there is no such instruction from the government to stop the consumption of fish, Mishra added.

A few weeks back, formalin traces were found in places including Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur which had triggered panic among all fish lovers across Odisha.