Sri Lanka has released 14 Indian fishermen as a special gesture, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for resolving the issue with a "humane approach." The fishermen issue figured prominently during talks between Prime Minister Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday. The fishermen issue is a contentious matter in India-Sri Lanka ties, with several alleged incidents of Sri Lankan Navy personnel using force against Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait. Modi stressed the need for a humane approach and the immediate release of the fishermen and their boats.
Bringing the latest instance of the arrest of TN fishermen to the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Stalin said 12 of them were arrested on Thursday and two mechanised fishing boats were seized by the Lankan Navy.
Tamil Nadu government has sought the Centre's intervention for the release of 14 Indian fishermen arrested by the Lankan navy on Sunday, and raised the issue of financial package for the community.
A Tamil Nadu fisherman on Friday sustained bullet injuries when the Navy "fired warning shots" in mid-sea and Chief Minister M K Stalin sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to prevent such incidents.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to facilitate a dialogue between fishermen associations in the state and Sri Lanka in Chennai in December following frequent attacks and arrests of fishermen by naval personnel of the island nation.
Tamil Nadu government has sought Centre's intervention in securing the release of 43 Indian fishermen arrested recently by the Sri Lankan navy, besides their 55 boats, which is under custody of that government.
21 fishermen were arrested and five boats were seized at Kankesanturai while 33 others on five boats were arrested at Talaimannar on Saturday night.
A Sri Lankan court on Tuesday ordered the release of 56 Indian fishermen who were detained for allegedly fishing in the island nation's territorial waters.
Baalu denied there was a delay in carrying out the dredging programme and said the dredger of the DCI had resumed work after repairs to an instrument.
A research scholar says why the Sethusamudram canal project must be stopped and why the Ramar Sethu must be declared a world heritage site.
Ten days after its Dornier surveillance aircraft with three officers on board went missing, the Coast Guard filed a formal police complaint on the matter on Thursday.
The project is currently under litigation after environmental concerns were raised against the plan of linking the PalkBay and the Gulf of Mannar by creating a shipping channel through the shallow sea, says Ruchika Chitravanshi.
Fifty fishermen from Nagapattinam and Karaikal have been arrested by the Sri Lankan
If the fishermen were not allowed to fish in their traditional areas (Katchatheevu), they would be left with no other alternative except to commit suicide like distressed farmers, they said.
Survey ship Sandhayak picks up signals likely from missing Coast Guard aircraft
Taking up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister E K Palaniswami, in a letter, said the state government was "extremely" concerned over such incidents
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday said the Centre's "inadequate response" to apprehension and detention of Indian fishermen "has emboldened the Sri Lankan Navy to harass" them, and sought a "robust diplomatic response" on the emotive issue.
Seeking strong diplomatic action from the Centre for release of 28 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday said the Centre should "not" treat the International Maritime Boundary Line with the island nation as a settled question, as it is a subject matter of litigation in the Supreme Court.
Fifteen ships belonging to both the Coast Guard and the Indian Navy are a part of the search mission, in addition to the advanced Boeing Poseidon P81 surveillance aircraft.
In the wake of arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking laying down a time-bound action plan to achieve a "long-term, permanent solution to the problem and also to put in place a strong and robust diplomatic response".
The fate of three crew members onboard Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft that went missing on Monday remained unknown on Wednesday even as Navy deployed a submarine as part of massive search operations off Tamil Nadu coast.
The protesting fishermen have refused to accept the body of the fisherman unless a central minister visits the island and gives them an assurance that such incidents would not happen again, Rameswaram Fishermen Association President S Emiret said.
The authorities have called the families of the crew for carrying out DNA tests for identification of the deceased and collecting the remains and personal effects.
A Coast Guard Dornier surveillance aircraft with three crew members on board went missing on Monday night off the coast of Chennai.
Seeking a "decisive shift" in the Centre's stance vis-a-vis Sri Lanka on the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure the release of 33 fishermen, arrested by the island nation's navy, and ensure a lasting solution to the issue.
Sri Lanka's signals -- that it is ready for 'joint fishing' initiatives -- and Tamil Nadu fishermen's sticking to commitments have paved the way for a negotiated settlement on a long festering issue, says N Sathiya Moorthy
Amma will wait for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'honeymoon' with the voter to fade away before deciding on the issues that are of real concern to the state and others that may need a considered and balanced solution, say N Sathiya Moorthy and M Kasinathan
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