Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 16 2009:
A GROUP Ngari vendors today strongly disapproved the statement of MLA Ng Bijoy regarding the use of urea in preparing Ngari in a press conference held today at Manipur Press Club.
The guild while talking to the media countering the statement of Ng Bijoy published on newspapers of January 13 said that urea does not have any role in fermentation process of dried fishes.
One of the spokesperson from the guild, Okram Indrajit said that it is totally baseless that they use urea in order to expedite the fermenting process of dried fish while preparing Ngari.
He further said pure water and some quantity of mustard oil are the only materials used in preparation.
"Using of urea has nothing to do with the fast fermentation process of the dried fish.
It is only when the dried fishes are compressed in the container for a complete one year that we get the real aroma and taste of Ngari.
No artificial chemical can be added in the preparation and it is only when rigorous attention is paid to the dry fish container for the whole year long that the result is positive." He added.
He also enquired as it was not clearly mentioned in the news published that on what basis whether MLA Bijoy personally saw it or is it based on any laboratory report that he claimed the supplementation of Urea in preparing Ngari.
The group of Ngari sellers appealed not to spread such baseless rumors which might abate the public from consuming Ngari in future.