Chennai: The Tamil Nadu governmÂent has postponed the muÂch anticipated meeting of fishermen from Sri LaÂnka and Tamil Nadu to JanÂuaÂry 27 based on the request from the Sri Lankan side as they were yet to finalise their list of representatives.
The meeting of the fishermen association to resÂolve the issue of fishing rights in the Palk Straits was originally schedule to take place on January 20.
On January 17, the IndÂian external affairs ministry had confirmed its reÂpresentatives for the meeting slated to take place in ChÂeÂnnai, however in anÂoÂther communication on the same day, the ministry informed that Sri Lankan fisheries minister Rajitha Senaratne had returned home only on Friday morÂning after his visit to India.
The Sri Lankan government had, therefore, soÂÂuÂght time to finalise its list of fishermen represeÂntatives for the meeting and wanted postponement of the JaÂnuary 20 meeting to a later date, a state government prÂÂess release saÂid quoting external affÂairs ministry communication.
“Based on the Centre’s letter, chief minister J. JaÂyÂalalithaa has directed that the talks between fisÂhÂermen (association) representatives of India and Sri Lanka scheduled in Chennai on January 20 be held on January 27,” the release said, adding that the state government had coÂnveyed its decision to the Union government.
With the two countries agreeing for the mutual release of fishermen from their jails, the state government had initiated steps in this regard, the release said.
On the directions of the chief minister, 113 out of 179 Sri Lankan fishermen have been released from the state jails while 173 Indians, hailing from TaÂmil Nadu and Karaikal (PuÂÂducherry) have been freed from their jails by Sri Lankan government, it said. The other Indian and Lankan fishermen still lodged in both countries’ prisons would be released shortly, the release noted.
