Panaji, Jul 19 (IANS): Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant on Thursday adjourned the House till noon after the Congress insisted on discussing the issue of formalin-use in fish sold in the state.

During Question Hour, the Speaker was forced to adjourn the House after Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, moved an adjournment motion and insisted on raising the fish issue on the first day of the monsoon session.

"All 16 (Congress) MLAs have signed a motion of adjournment. This formalin issue should be discussed first. Not at the time of calling attention motion," Kavlekar said.

"The fish mafia is killing Goans. Fish mafia is spreading slow poison. They are merchants of greed, evil and horror. This is a burning issue. All other issues can wait.

"These merchants of horror are supported by this party, yesterday by our party, tomorrow they will be with some other party," former Chief Minister and Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro said.

Sawant, however, said that since calling attention motions had been moved by both Congress and BJP MLAs the issue could be discussed later.

When the opposition did not relent on their demands, the Speaker was forced to adjourn the legislative assembly proceedings till 12 noon.

Goa on Wednesday banned the import of fish from other states for 15 days, after the state Food and Drug Administration officials claimed that formalin, a powerful disinfectant used to preserve cadavers, was used to preserve fish.

The agency later flip-flopped on several occasions on the formalin use and its harm, but public pressure and criticism from the opposition forced the government to implement the temporary ban.