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Tripura gears up to celebrate Bengali New Year : Bangladesh exported Hilsa fish price records above Rs. 1200/- amidst formalin threat
TIWN April 10, 2017
Tripura gears up to celebrate Bengali New Year : Bangladesh exported Hilsa fish price records above Rs. 1200/- amidst formalin threat
PHOTO : Public purchasing Hilsa for News Year at Battala. TIWN Pic April 10

AGARTALA, April 10 (TIWN): After all when it comes about Bengali people's food culture, no poison threat can stop them from purchasing of items. Royalty in food is in Bengalis blood, which once again have been proven with the increasing craze for buying Hilsha fish ahead of Poyla Baishakh, which have raised upto Rs. 1000/- and Rs. 1200/- In a survey at Battala market it has revealed that there are 2 types of Hilsas: One is small, another is slightly bigger differed by prices. However, source said that the presence of formalin is 100 % guaranteed and if formalin was not there, the price would go beyond limits. Agartala City's customers ahead of Bengali New Year are storing the Hilsas in freezes to avoid further price hike in coming days, as the New Year is just after 3 days. But recently after the Assembly Session ended, fish free imports from Bangladesh was restricted by the state govt following the disclosure of availability of formalin mixed fishes in Tripura markets.

But within a month without any notice, the govt has released businessmen the import fishes as per wishes from Bangla, whereas no testing of food items are doing by the govt for the sake of food safety. In this condition, it can be said that violation  of food safety is running at free pace in Tripura. 

In the month of March, during Assembly Session formalin fear has kept the fish market down in state for long. On that time, the fish businessmen at Gol Bazar said, "If formalin is there, Govt should do proper investigation and ban the items coming with formalin, but businessmen would not know which fish is mixed with formalin".

Even, the Health and Revenue Minister Badal Choudhury said the preservative -- formalin or formaldihyde, mixed with water and used for preservation of biological specimens -- was found in six samples drawn from fish imported from Bangladesh. The chemical is dangerous for human consumption. "Health officials have been asked to take stringent legal action against those using formalin and other illegal preservatives," Choudhury said.  The government has asked customs and other authorities to prevent the import of fish from Bangladesh through the seven LCSs, except the Agartala-Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP). The seven LCSs are in Agartala, Srimantapur, Khowaighat (western Tripura), Kamalpur, Old Raghnabazar (northern Tripura), Belonia and Sabroom (in southern Tripura). 
Since no adequate infrastructure and manpower is available at the seven LCSs, import of fish through these border points would be risky. Health Department officials collected 40 fish samples from Agartala, and formalin was found in 11. 

But forgetting all the worries, now people have jumped in buying Hilsa with sky-rocketing prices. Not only Hilsa, but open Tortoise selling at Battala are also on peak.

On the other hand, apart from Hilsa, Price hike hits Tripura customers ahead of Bengali New Year-1424. Chaitra Sale is on its full swing ahead of Bengali New year which is to be celebrated on April 14, but customers alleged that the markets are burning with high prices. Thousands of customers throng into different markets, shopping malls to choose the best one for them and their family members, but the reduction is just for namesake and the quality of products have been owned also.

Apart from that food items and other daily commodities prices are very high, hitting the Chaitra budget.


 

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