Meghalaya Districts Order Immediate Ban on Undocumented Fish Imports From Bangladesh

Overview

• The East Khasi Hills district magistrate invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to prohibit the transport, storage, sale and distribution of fish imported from Bangladesh without valid documents.
• The South West Khasi Hills deputy commissioner issued a parallel order that also bars the use of vehicles or vessels and any assistance or facilitation of the illegal trade.
• Authorities said violations will attract action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and other laws including the Customs Act, the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act, with the orders in force until further notice.
• The orders cite reports of consignments entering through border routes, riverine channels, roads and market points, warning of public-health risks, biosecurity threats and economic losses to legitimate traders.
• Meghalaya’s Commissionerate of Food Safety said 45 samples tested at a Kolkata lab met FSSAI norms with no detectable heavy metals, reported no formalin in routine checks, affirmed fish from Assam are safe and urged vendor licensing and coordination with Assam.