NAGAPATTINAM: Fishermen representatives from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry urged Sri Lanka Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between the countries.
At a meeting organised by Sri Lanka Deputy High Commissioner D Venkateshwaran at his office in Chennai on Tuesday, fishermen representatives from districts like Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Pudukkottai, and Ramanathapuram interacted with Minister Devananda via video-conferencing and placed their requests.
The representatives reportedly requested Sri Lanka not to arrest those fishing in Palk Strait. They also requested the minister to release the men under custody, and to stop the auctioning of boats that Sri Lanka had impounded over the years.
G Manohar, a fisherman representative from Akkarapettai in Nagapattinam told TNIE, “We have stressed to the honourable fisheries minister for a permanent resolution in the conflict between the two countries. A joint committee should be set up with representatives from both the countries for a resolution.”
Meanwhile, fishermen representatives from Nagapattinam demanded to be part of the team from India which is aiming to inspect the condition of the boats that are rusting away in Sri Lankan harbours.