Tamil Nadu govt. urges Modi to oppose Lankan bill for fishermen

26 January 2018 10:31 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 10 Bookmark

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Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the External Affairs Ministry and the Indian Mission in Sri Lanka to register a strong protest against the island nation's new legislation aimed at imposing huge penalties on the Indian fishermen entering its water.

DMK and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee also sought the Centre's intervention to protect Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

In a letter to Modi, Palaniswami said that a new bill named the Foreign Fishing Vessels Bill has been introduced in the Lankan Parliament on Wednesday with provisions to incarcerate "our fishermen for longer periods of time and impose huge penalties, which run up to few crores of Indian rupees."

The new bill enables the Lankan government to slap hefty fines ranging from Sri Lankan rupee 50 lakh to 17.5 crore (ranging from Rs 20 lakh-Rs 7 crore) on Tamil Nadu fishermen, depending on the size of the fishing boats.

Pointing out that the move has created widespread resentment and panic, he said that the livelihood of fishermen from Tamil Nadu who fish in the waters of Palk Bay would then be left at the mercy of the Lankan government.

"It is an extremely unfortunate development, at the time when the ministers of India and Sri Lanka met twice and the Joint Working Group on Fisheries met thrice, to work out a permanent solution to resolve this long pending sensitive livelihood issue," Palaniswami wrote. (DNA)

Comments - 10

Ahmed Friday, 26 January 2018 11:13 AM

the solution is simple! stay away from lankan territory. who will pay for the fish that you steal from here ?

3 60

very true Friday, 26 January 2018 05:42 PM

very true

1 11

Scooby Doo Friday, 26 January 2018 11:39 AM

So this means that you guys want to continue fishing in our sea. It will never happen.

1 44

Simon Aiya Friday, 26 January 2018 12:27 PM

Simple Aiyaar! You no come my side I no go your side.

1 38

BuffaloaCitizen Friday, 26 January 2018 01:12 PM

Okay, so the solution is very simple, if you can pay the fine then please welcome the hospitality of the fine and fish in Sri Lankan waters..... if you cant then go find somewhere else where they don't have such hefty fines.

2 27

Tissahamy Friday, 26 January 2018 01:20 PM

Now our fellows will bend over backwards

8 9

jayamal_jayaweera Friday, 26 January 2018 03:57 PM

Get your navy to patrol your borders and ensure your fishermen do not cross them into foreign waters.

2 12

tara Friday, 26 January 2018 04:35 PM

heres a solution "stay in your own damn side"

1 12

hasah Friday, 26 January 2018 09:13 PM

Don't come to our waters, during LTTE time these fellows freely stole our fish resources and they want us to allow them to fish in our waters? go and fish in your territory and don't come to out waters....tell your fisherman this not Modi, Modi doesn't fish in SL waters

1 5

Dada Saturday, 27 January 2018 06:31 AM

Very Simple Answer Stay Away From Srilankan Water You Di** Heads????? :)

0 0

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