Sources from Chennai have stated that Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the "sharp escalation in the incidents of apprehension of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Srilankan Navy," adding that the Centre did not build "adequate pressure" on Srilanka "to desist from day-to-day harassment and arrest of our fishermen."
Sources have stated that the chief minister had said,
"I write to bring to your immediate attention, a sharp escalation in the
incidents of apprehension of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Srilankan
Navy." He had also referred to three incidents which occurred on
the March 4 and 5 this year, in which 32 fishermen and five fishing boats were
apprehended by the Srilankan Navy.
Palaiswami had added that Tamil
Nadu had been repeatedly requesting Government of India to sanction a
comprehensive project for conversion of mechanized trawlers to deep sea long
liners and creation of other infrastructure, which would help resolve the issue.
He has written that despite our
repeated requests, neither has the package of Rs 1,650 crore been approved by
Government of India nor does there seem to be adequate pressure built up on Srilanka to desist from day to day harassment and arrest of our fishermen as they
go about peaceably pursuing their traditional occupation of fishing in the
waters in which they have enjoyed the customary rights to fish for several
centuries.
