Jayalalithaa seeks PM's direct intervention on fishermen issue

Chennai

In a Demi-Official letter to Mr Modi, copies of which  were released to the media here, Ms Jayalalithaa urged him to direct the External Affairs Ministry to take up the matter with the Sri Lankan authorities urgently and secure the immediate release of the 15 fishermen and 69 fishing boats in Sri Lankan custody, including nine fishermen and  their two fishing boats apprehended two days back.

She said "I am constrained to write to you yet again to bring to your notice the repeated instances of apprehension of innocent Indian fishermen belonging to  the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy. Five fishermen in a boat from Jegathapattinam and four more in a boat from Kottaipattinam, both in Pudukottai District, have been apprehended along with their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy on the evening of January 30 and taken to Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka".

Recalling that based on her repeated requests and the Indian Government's efforts all the Indian fishermen, who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy during 2015 have been released, but their boats and fishing gear, which were essential to earn their livelihood, have not yet been released, aggravating the sense of frustration and despondency among the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu.  

Reiterating her request that the fishing boats and gear be restored to the fishermen in a refurbished condition by the Centre at the earliest, Ms Jayalalithaa said her Government strongly believed that the unconstitutional Indo-Sri Lankan Agreements of 1974 and 1976 should be nullified and the traditional rights of our fishermen restored at the earliest.

She said these agreements were under legal challenge on grounds of constitutional validity in the Supreme Court.

The Chief Minister pointed out that her government has taken many steps for deep sea fishing activities among the Palk Bay fishing communities, including provision of subsidy assistance for purchasing deep sea tuna long liners and promoting use of gill nets.

Ms Jayalalithaa said she had also sought an assistance of Rs. 1520 crores as a comprehensive financial package with a recurring grant of Rs.10 crores per annum for maintenance dredging from the Union Government for deep sea fishing and infrastructure in the Memoranda she had presented to Mr Modi on June 3, 2014 and on August 7, 2015.

Ms Jayalalithaa reiterated this request for early sanction of the Tamil Nadu Government's s proposal and sought the personal intervention of the Prime Minister in securing the release of 15 fishermen and 69 boats from Sri Lankan custody by directing the External Affairs Ministry to take up the issue with the Lankan authorities immediately.