Chennai: Blaming the Sri Lankan navy for its totally inhumane approach and for violating completely the ethics of maritime search and rescue missions, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said on Tuesday that a new trend had emerged in the Lankan navy’s tactics of targeting fishing boats stranded in mid-sea due to adverse weather conditions or mechanical defects
“In the latest episode, one mechanised fishing boat, belonging to six fishermen from Ramanathapuram district who set sail for fishing on September 8 and was drifting due to mechanical snag, has been apprehended. Even in the last two instances, 15 Indian fishermen were apprehended from boats which were in distress in mid-sea,” Jayalalithaa stated in her letter to the PM sent on Tuesday.
She pointed out that the Lankan strategy of keeping the seized boats in custody has snatched away the source of meagre livelihood of poor fishermen and their families and was also fueling despondency. “The 63 boats in Lankan custody are deteriorating due to lack of maintenance,” she pointed out.
Exhorting the Centre to take up the issue with Sri Lanka, the CM expressed hope the Union government would find a permanent solution.
