DANGER ALERT: Hooks found in fish bought from local market, says NVCO

EMN
Dimapur, October 5

It is what terror and danger are made of. The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization has stated that more than 30 fishing hooks were found in a fish a citizen bought from a local market on Wednesday, in the capital town.
Another citizen who bought fishes is also said to have found a hook each in the fish she bought. The NVCO issued a press release on Monday warning citizens as well as threatening fish sellers with legal recourse. Not only are the hooks a danger to consumer but the weight of the hooks–made of metal–manipulate the weight of the meat.
“A resident of Lower Chandmari, Kohima bought a plate of fish at Chandmari Wednesday market on 30th Sept, 2015 and cooked for the evening meal. While having dinner the family members found more than 30 pieces of fishing hooks in fishes already being cooked,” the NVCO stated in the press release.
A fishing hook is a metal piece found mostly at the throat portion of the fishes.
The family approached the Lower Chandmari Panchayat of Kohima with the fishing hooks and the cooked fish, the organization said.“…some the cooked fishes were already eaten by the family and one of the family members suspected to (have) consumed a fishing hook and had gone for X-Ray and others were having loose motion and stomach pain,” the NVCO said.
The Lower Chandmari Panchayat took the matter to the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization. It was found that a self-help group in the colony conducts a “Wednesday market” every week.
The Panchayat is said to have taken the matter seriously and felt to take strong action to avert such ‘hazardous goods to be sold in the market.’
“The victim family particularly the member who had bought the alleged fishes stated that he would be in a position to identify the person who had brought those fishes from Jalukie and normally sells at Chandmari Wednesday market and BOC area,” the NVCO stated.
“The Lower Chandmari Panchayat would take the initiative to identify the person who sold fishes with the help of the consumer who had bought the alleged fishes. The Panchayat has also stated that there are complaint against the unfair means of measurement in selling meat particularly beef at the Wednesday market, the Panchayat firmly stated that they would not tolerate such unfair means of trade practices in their jurisdiction.”
Another one! A hook in every fish
Interestingly, another citizen who had bought fish from the same market on the same day also approached the NVCO. The citizen had found fishing hook in each of the fish she brought, the NVCO said.
The NVCO has expressed condemnation at the “unscrupulous trade practices in the state capital at the huge risk of consumer’s life and seriously warns not to repeat in future.” “Right to safety is one of the consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 i.e., the right to be protected against the marketing of goods which are hazardous to life and property,” the NVCO stated.