NFF leader to meet Sushma to resolve TN fishermen’s woes

Mr.Illango told newspersons here on Sunday that  the Sri Lankan government which has  been  arresting Indian fishermen fishing in the waters between Sri Lanka and India, confiscatED their boats too. Presently, 81 boats of fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had been seized since February 26, 2015 and 27 fishermen incarcerated. 

The boats in this period of one year had become beyond repair. Since the boats were bought with private loans, their owners who are from lower middle class, were driven to suicide, Illango said. He said the fishermen, who believed that the centre would be able to resolve their issues and had been approaching Sushma Swaraj and Mr Pon Radhakrishan, minister from Tamil Nadu, time and again, but no efforts were taken to resolve these issues. 

The fishermen were very unhappy and angry over the situation and averse to the Centre he said, adding they had announced picketing agitation of Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai on Feb 29. Expressing solidarity with the fishermen, Illango said the NFF supports them. 

He said it was important to ensure that the fourth round of bilateral talks between the fishermen of the two countries is held without any more delay and that all the 81 boats held in this last one year are released immediately. The union government should consult the fisherfolk before further talks with the Sri Lankan government. 

The consultation should be with officers of the External Affairs ministry, Fisheries, Coast Guard, Lanka Embassy, the Fisheries Department Secretaries and Directors of of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and most importantly, the leaders of fisherfolk from Tamil Nadu districts and Puducherry, he asserted. 

During the visit to New Delhi this week, he would meet the Finance minister, Defence Minister and Fisheries Minister to press the demands like separate ministry for fisheries and fishermen’s welfare, besides legislation to protect the rights of the fishermen and other traditional coastal communities as in the most progressive 2006 Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, Mr Illango said.