Panaji, Nov 22 (TOI): The high court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday sought to know the rationale behind the food and safety standards authority of India (FSSAI) submitting ad hoc limit of naturally occurring formaldehyde in fish without proper supporting documents.

The FSSAI made the submission to the court that the ad hoc limit of naturally occurring formaldehyde is 4mg/kg for fresh water fish and 100mg/kg for brackish water fish/marine fish.

The FSSAI assistant director submitted that the adhoc limit of naturally occurring formaldehyde in fish had been recommended by its scientific panel on fish and fisheries products during its meeting on November 14.

Justice R M Borde asked advocate Dharmesh Vernekar representing FSSAI to submit the minutes of the scientific panel’s meeting to the court. The judge stated that the court needs some material to support the adhoc limit of formaldehyde.

Advocate general Dattaprasad Lawande told the court that the government will stick to the guidance note where the limit of 4mg/kg is specified for fresh water fish.

He also told the court that all traders and transporters are required to have licences to operate according to the Food And Safety Standards Act 2006. Only farmers and fishermen who catch the fish don’t require registration. The moment the fish is put to commercial use, licences are required, Lawande said.

He also added that if a retailer has an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh a licence is required, while those with a turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh have to register.

Senior advocate J E Coelho Pereira representing one of the petitioners, Sanjeev Raiturcar, told the court that the wholesale fish market in Margao doesn’t have a sewage treatment plant, while advocate Pritam Talauliker representing petitioner Shivraj Tacar said his petition is asking for a judicial inquiry into the episode of July 12. Justice Borde said this will be considered at a later stage.