MK Stalin additionally highlighted a ’important enhance’ within the variety of fishermen being arrested.
Chennai:
Urging the Centre to expedite its diplomatic efforts in securing the discharge of fishermen apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed considerations in regards to the enhance in assaults on members of the state’s fishing group within the area and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and resolve the difficulty on the earliest.
In his letter to Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Stalin acknowledged, ”I’m writing to precise my deep concern concerning the alarming enhance in incidents of apprehension of Tamil fishermen and their boats by the Sri Lankan authorities. This difficulty severely impacts the precise to livelihood of those fishermen, because the communities have utilised these fishing waters for generations.”
CM Stalin urged Prime Minister Modi to resume the Joint Motion Group to resolve fishermen’s points.
He additionally highlighted a ’important enhance’ within the variety of fishermen being arrested.
”The standard fishing waters that Tamil fishermen have relied upon for generations are getting more and more restricted, making it tough to maintain their livelihood impacting the financial stability of those communities. This additionally threatens the cultural and social cloth of the area that revolves across the fishing business. Throughout 2023, the Sri Lankan navy arrested 243 fishermen and seized 37 boats. Nevertheless, previously 28 days alone, 88 fishermen and 12 boats had been apprehended in six incidents,” CM Stalin wrote.
He talked about {that a} laws lately handed in Sri Lanka permits the nation to nationalise the seized boats, which may drive members of the state’s fishing group into penury.
”I had beforehand addressed you concerning the modification made to the Fisheries Act by the Authorities of Sri Lanka in 2018, which permits the Sri Lankan Authorities to nationalise overseas fishing vessels. Because of this motion of Sri Lanka, the seized fishing boats of our fishermen which might be in good situation can’t be salvaged and introduced again to Tamil Nadu. Many fishermen have invested their life financial savings in buying and sustaining their boats, that are very important for his or her commerce,” he wrote whereas urging the Sri Lankan authorities to make obligatory amendments to the legislation.
CM Stalin additionally requested Prime Minister Modi to make sure that ”all-out diplomatic efforts ought to be made to safe the discharge of 77 fishermen and their 151 boats from Sri Lanka”.
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