Calangute: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has clarified that the spoiled chicken meat which had been seized at Arpora was disposed of as stipulated by official guidelines.“Regarding the disposal of the chicken meat, we want to make it clear that the disposal was done in a very methodical manner using phenyl to disinfect the meat and the meat was buried in the ground,” FDA official Richard Noronha said.On Friday, the Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF) had said that the disposal of the spoiled chicken into a nearby nullah was a “highly hazardous practice and poses a serious threat to the environment and public health”.The CCF urged the FDA to follow proper and scientific disposal methods when contaminated items are seized.On Thursday, FDA officials had raided an illegal chicken vendor at Arpora and seized nearly 300kg of spoiled chicken which was subsequently disposed of into a nearby nullah.Noronha said an FDA team again visited the premises on Friday to ensure that the illegal sale of chicken has been discontinued.“In continuation of the surveillance drive in the coastal belt at Calangute area, Friday’s drive was specifically for sweets with colour,” Noronha said. “Our surveillance shows that excess colour is being used. We have drawn samples with the intention to file cases against errant operators.”
