CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday sought the intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to ensure waiver of Rs 2.25 crore penalty imposed by the Maldives government on 12 fishermen from Tamil Nadu for fishing in their territorial waters.
Stalin said the Maldives authorities directed that the penalty should be paid within 30 days and the boats would be detained until the fine is paid. The CM pointed out that the exorbitant fine is beyond the means of the fishermen.
“I request your urgent intervention on behalf of these fishermen and seek a waiver of penalty imposed on the vessel. I also request you to secure the prompt release of the fishermen along with their boat. I believe that your timely intervention can bring relief to these fishermen and their families, who are currently facing an extremely difficult situation,” the chief minister added.