Fishermen team to leave for New Delhi today

The team comprises five fishermen from Rameswaram, 4 from Nagapattinam, 2 from Pudukottai and one from Thanjavur. Top officials from the state fisheries department will accompany them. Similarly, a 10-member fishermen delegation from Sri Lanka, accompanied by officials is expected to arrive at New Delhi on Tuesday.

The talks will centre around disputed and contentious issues including the Rameswaram fishermen being banned from fishing near Katchatheevu, the island over which Tamil Nadu now lays claim and where Sri Lanka has traditionally allowed Indian fishermen to rest and dry their nets on the island.

Also to be discussed are the attacks on Indian fishermen and the destruction of their property by the Sri Lankan Navy, return of the more than 100 impounded mechanised vessels and repatriation of arrested Tamil Nadu fishermen from the island nation. 

According to Indo-Lanka talks committee member N Devadoss, the recent arrest of three Rameswaram fishermen on narcotics charges will not figure in the talks.