Days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis see to his country, Sri Lankan minister for fisheries, water and ocean resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar has stated that govt level talks on the fishing conflict between Sri Lanka and India would be held quickly in the presence of fishermen.He released the declaration on Sunday after a delegation of fishermen from Rameswaram held a conference with him in Jaffna on Saturday evening.The delegation, led by anglers leader R Sahayam, attracted the minister to start talks in between fishermen of the 2 nations.
The last ministerial level talks on the conflict were held in 2016.
Calling for a long lasting solution to the problem, the delegation pleaded with the minister to secure the release of Indian fishermen and their fishing crafts held in the island nations custody.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to go to Sri Lanka on April 4, and the anglers row is likely to be one of the problems that will figure in his conference with his Sri Lankan counterpart.Meanwhile, the delegation from Rameswaram satisfied fishermen lodged in Sri Lankan prisons, and took stock of the fishing crafts taken by the authorities on charges of poaching in Sri Lankas territorial waters.The anglers leaders had satisfied their counterparts at Vavuniya on March 26 and discussed the problem.
The Indian side sought time to stop trawling however the Sri Lankan anglers made it clear that trawling wont be accepted in their waters, though they are prepared for a friendly solution.Reiterating this stand, leaders of the Northern Province Fisher People Unity, an umbrella forum of fishermen associations of the northern provinces of Sri Lanka, told press reporters on Sunday that Indian trawlers must stop pertaining to Sri Lankan waters.Else, their nations law need to discover its course to stop it.
They are figured out that their individuals ought to fish in their waters independently and leave the marine resources for future generations, stated forum spokesperson Annarasa Annalingam.Source: Times of India-- Agencies