Doctor’s ‘experiment’ shows harmful effects of formalin

NT NETWORK

MARGAO

Conducting an ‘experiment’ to  demonstrate  the harmful effects   of     formalin use on human beings,  Dr  Shankar  Nadkarni on  Monday  said  that  it is high  time that  a legal course  was taken on the formalin-in-fish row.

He said that Goans must take a call on  eating  chemical-laced fish.

Addressing  media persons in  the city,  Dr Nadkarni, a physician and farmer  from  Sanguem who recently toured the US, said  that in that country no preservatives are  used for  extending  shelf life of fish.

“Formalin cannot be allowed to be used on  fish, and therefore there is no  question of  “within permissible limits’’. People of  Goa have to  wake up  and decide.   A legal action must also be taken,’’  Dr Nadkarni  said.

The physician conducted an ‘experiment’ to demonstrate the harmful effects of  formalin. He poured  formaldehyde in a

bowl  and kept it  open for  a few seconds. He inhaled the solution, and media persons could see immediate irritation in his eyes.

He  said  that formalin is  easily available in local markets. A bottle containing  450 ml  of  formalin  costs Rs 42.

He explained that the use of  formalin  to preserve   marine fish by ‘fish mafia’ in Goa can initially lead  to  irritation in  eyes,   skin, throat,  stomach and  respiratory tracts.  It  can cause anaemia and leukemia, and  can damage  kidneys  and livers.

The consumption of   chemical-laced fish could also cause cancer as well, he warned.

“There are reports from the Tata Memorial  Cancer Research  Institute,  Mumbai, which say that  cancer cases  have  been on the rise in Goa…  There is lot to  read between the lines,” he observed.

When questioned whether the state government  is  trying to  sweep  FDA reports under the carpet, he said,  “I have not read  FDA reports.  I will be able to  make further comments only when I read them.”