HC directs Centre to detail steps taken to prevent fishermen from crossing borders

Chennai: Madras High Court has directed Central Government to file an affidavit explaining the steps taken to prevent fishermen from crossing the border while being engaged in their traditional profession. The Division Bench comprising Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad, before which petition from LTA Peter Rayan of Fisherman Care came up for hearing, asked the Assistant Solicitor General Karthikeyan why cannot the Union Government think of supplying GPS system to the fishermen enabling them to know about the area and the borders of the fishing area in the high sea.

The bench then directed the assistant solicitor general to file an affidavit explaining the steps taken by Central Government to prevent the fishermen crossing the border and posted the matter after two weeks for further hearing. The petitioner sought to refer the human right violations allegedly committed by the Sri Lankan Navy for the past 34 years against Indian fisherman to the International Court of Justice for taking suitable action against the Sri Lankan Navy for violating the 1974 Agreement between India and Sri Lanka.