Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chennai, Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “timely intervention” in securing the release of five fishermen on death row, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Monday urged him to ensure the “prompt release” of 38 fishermen, including 14 detained by the Sri Lankan authorities on Sunday.
Bringing to Mr Modi’s attention the latest detention of 14 fishermen, the Chief Minister also reminded Mr Modi that 24 fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu, who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy nearly two months, were still in custody. Besides, 78 boats including three in the latest incident were currently in Sri Lankan custody.
The Sri Lankan strategy of not releasing the boats of the fishermen was causing “great frustration amongst the fishermen of Tamil Nadu.” Without their livelihood base, the fishermen were in “a state of despondency,” Mr Panneerselvam stated, calling upon him to take up the matter with the highest authorities of the Sri Lankan government and see to it that the precariously berthed boats, which continued to suffer “great damage” in the North-East Monsoon, were released.
He reiterated the State government’s demand for the sanction of a financial package of Rs.1,520 crore and a recurring grant of Rs.10 crore per annum for maintenance dredging, as requested by former chief minister Jayalalithaa while in power, and the retrieval of Katchatheevu as well as restoration of the traditional and historical fishing grounds of the Palk Bay to the Tamil Nadu fishermen.
