Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today urged the Prime Minister to take up the arrest of the state’s fishermen at a high political level with Sri Lanka and sought immediate release of 54 fishermen and their 34 boats, including 19 who were apprehended yesterday.
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Indian Tamil party leader urges central government to get fishermen released Sun, October 11, 2015, 08:32 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Bottom-trawling not only takes away the fish in the oceans but also damages the ocean bed, destroying marine habitat and resources.
‘I am constrained to write to you yet again to bring to your direct attention the fifth consecutive unprovoked instance of arrest and detention of innocent and poor fishermen from Tamilnadu while fishing in their traditional fishing waters off the coast of southern Tamilnadu.
Meanwhile, in a separate, though related development, Sri Lanka’s Opposition in parliament has called on the governments of India and Sri Lanka to hold joint naval patrols to prevent fishermen from poaching in each other’s waters.
Another project, to rehabilitate conflict-affected families in the northern and eastern provinces by constructing 65,000 independent housing units, presents yet another opportunity to strengthen ties between the countries, he added.
Despite her repeated requests to take up the matter with Sri Lanka and ensure the early release of the fishermen and their boats, “there has been little response and the fishermen have suffered prolonged detention”.
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Eight Sri Lankan Tamils who have been on fast in a special camp in India since the beginning of this month, were arrested on Thursday.
