A delegation of fishermen leaders on Sunday met Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan here to stress for a long-term solution to the Palk Bay fishing crisis.
During the meeting, the delegation conveyed its willingness to give up use of bottom trawlers in phased manner. However, it sought the Central and State governments support to switch to an alternative.
Emerging out of the meeting at the BJP’s State headquarters, M. Ilango, chairperson of the National Fishworkers’ Forum, told The Hindu that the Minister gave a patient hearing to the delegation.
Mr. Radhakrishnan had told them that the officials of the External Affairs Ministry were involved in talks with their counterparts from Sri Lanka to arrive at a permanent solution to the fishermen crisis. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had also been briefed about the progress on this front.
Mr. Ilango said the last bilateral meeting between the fishermen of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu held in May ended in a deadlock as those from the island nation insisted on immediate halt to bottom trawling.
We had told them that an immediate halt was not possible as majority of fishermen in Tamil Nadu use the bottom trawlers. But we are open to a change in a phased manner, for which government support is necessary. We conveyed this to the Minister as well during the meeting, Mr. Ilango said.
The delegation also stressed that steps should be taken to secure the release of 93 Tamil Nadu fishermen and over 60 boats still in Sri Lankan custody.
2014, The Hindu