Fishing activities came to a grinding halt in the Island town of Rameswaram, as about 5,000 fishermen today began an indefinite strike, demanding immediate release of four Indian fishermen and 103 fishing trawlers detained by Sri Lanka.. Fisheries department officials said the fishermen anchored about 850 trawlers at Rameswaram fishing jetty and did not venture into the sea. N.J.Bose, President of Rameswaram Port Mechanized Boat Fishermen Association told newsmen here that leaders of 11 mechanised boat fishermen associations have decided to launch the indefinite strike. He said the fishermen and their families would stage a “Jal Demonstration” by standing in the “Agni Theertham” (Sea) tomorrow to draw the Centre’s attention towards the plight of fishing community. The continuous detention of Indian fishing trawlers by Sri Lankan government has severely crippled the livelihood of boat owners and fishermen. Despite our several requests, the Centre is not taking any concrete steps for the retrieval of boats from Lanka, he said. The fishermen were also demanding the Centre to restore the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen in the Palk Bay.
Suni Systems (P) Ltd, 2000 – 2016.