Dry fish delicacy poison to riverside people

BALASORE: Dry fish, a popular delicacy in the State, has become a cause for concern for thousands of residents in and around Chandipur and Balaramgadi areas of Balasore district.Even as the toxic substances used as preservative in dry fish have been banned by the Fisheries Department, a dry fish-processing unit at Naupalgadi near the base of Budhabalanga river has been allegedly using them violating the ban order.Residents of villages Chandipur, Chargochhia, Hidigaon, Sonapur and Srikona are up in arms against the dry fish processing plant, which they allege has been polluting water and surroundings.Demanding its closure, they said consumption of dry fish processed in the plant is dangerous to human health as a preservative used in dry fish is highly toxic.Sources said the dry fish processing plants use substances like Formalin De-Hyde, often used to preserve human body. This apart, they use highly toxic pesticides and insecticides like Metacids, Cypermethrin, Endo-Sulphur, BHE-50 and Chlorophyriphos-50.Locals said the release of toxic substances and pesticides to the water sources has made it poisonous for human consumption. They further alleged that apart from the environmental hazards, the plant has also rendered hundreds of fishermen, producing dry fish through traditional means, jobless.The residents recently met District Collector Akhila Bihari Ota and wanted the plant to shut down. Chandipur Aqua Farmers Welfare Association also has lodged a written protest.Meanwhile, Ota has asked Assistant Fisheries Director (marine) Shasikanta Acharya to inquire into it and submit a report.Acharya said the dry fish processing units use Formalin De-Hyde to increase shelf-life of their products. It pollutes the water if more than 4 PPM (4 ml in one litre of water) is used. “We are inquiring into it. Any deviation would be a criminal offence in accordance with the Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982,” he added.