TN asks Centre to direct Sri Lanka to release fishing boats

Tamil Nadu Government has requested the Centre to ask the Sri Lankan government to release over 100 fishing boats, which are still in custody of the island nation.

Recalling the detention of 158 fishing boats by Sri Lanka, Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao in a letter to Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, said that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had repeatedly urged the Prime Minister to take necessary steps for the release of the boats.

The Tamil Nadu Government had ‘unanimously’ passed a resolution in December 2014, seeking early release of the boats, Rao said, adding that Sri Lankan courts had finally ordered their release in February 2015.

Stating that two salvage teams were formed towards the release of the boats, he said, “the salvage operation was carried out in two phases by 355 fishermen with 54 salvage boats.”

(F.India)