TN CM writes to PM after Lanka arrests 10 fishermen

Ten more fishermen from the state were today arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in the island nation's waters, taking the total number of those held in the past one week to 20, as the state government sought the Centre's intervention to secure their release.
The fishermen from Rameswaram and Pudukottai district were apprehended and their boats impounded in two separate incidents, for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters.
As the latest arrest came barely days after Sri Lanka agreed to release the 51 fishermen already in its custody, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to secure the release of the 20 fishermen.

Panneerselvam thanked Modi for ensuring the release of 51 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, but rued over the arrest of 20 fishermen, including 10 today.
"Unfortunately, even before the sense of relief following the release of the 51 fishermen could fully set in and the released fishermen reached our shores, the Sri Lankan navy has yet again resorted to its harsh and unjust tactic of apprehending Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu while peacefully pursuing their avocation in the traditional fishing waters of the Palk Bay," he said in the letter.
The state government "is extremely concerned about the continuing frequent apprehension and detention of our fishermen," Panneerselvam said.

"As you are aware, in 2016 itself 290 Tamil Nadu fishermen along with their 53 fishing boats were apprehended in 39 incidents. Subsequently, all 290 fishermen were released due to the unstinted efforts of our revered leader the late Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi Amma (Jayalalithaa)," he noted.

He recalled that even though Sri Lanka released the fishermen, it however, did not return their boats and fishing gear, their "only livelihood means".
"The 118 boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen in Sri Lankan
custody are deteriorating due to lack of maintenance on a daily basis. These boats have remained exposed to the elements over two North East Monsoon seasons and continue to suffer further damage and deterioration," Panneerselvam said.

This is why our late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had repeatedly urged Centre to secure the release of the fishing boats and ensure their return to the fishermen in a refurbished condition, he added.
Panneerselvam urged Modi to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to take expeditious steps to secure the release of a total of 20 fishermen and 118 fishing boats without any delay.
He recalled that the 1974 Indo-Lanka agreement on ceding Katchatheevu islet to that country had been challenged by Jayalalithaa in the Supreme Court.
(Reopens MDS16)
Meanwhile, various fishermen's associations said they would launch a rail roko to protest against the "continued assaultand arrest of fishermen."

Rameswaram fishermen's association president S Emirit said they would also seek release of 20 fishermen arrested in the last one week, compensation for 18 damaged boats and also release of boats impounded by the Lankan government.
The fishermen demanded that they be allowed to fish peacefully in the traditional areas in the Palk Strait.
The date and time of the rail roko would be announced soon,he said.