Addressed the inquiries relating to the circumstances of Indian anglers apprehended in Sri Lanka throughout the inquiry hour in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishanker claimed that the existing federal government acquired the circumstance as a result of occasions that can be mapped back to 1974 and 1976.
Jaishankar thorough Sri Lanka’s lawful structure, specifying, “Sri Lanka has two laws–the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act of 1996 and the Fisheries Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats of 1979. Both these acts were amended in 2018 and 2023, providing for much stiffer sentences, bigger fines, and greater detention.”
He clarified that a lot of those offering sentences are watercraft proprietors, captains, or repeat transgressors, making complex resolution initiatives.
He specified that the “root cause” of the continuous concern connected to the apprehension of Indian anglers in Sri Lanka started in 1974 when the global maritime limit line was attracted, complied with by an exchange of letters in 1976 with Sri Lanka defining angling territory.
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“The house is aware that, in a way, our government has inherited the problem. This problem began in 1974 when the international maritime boundary line was drawn, followed by an exchange of letters in 1976 delineating fishing jurisdiction. These decisions are the root cause of the situation,” EAM claimed while responding to the inquiry increased by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva.
Jaishanakar better kept in mind that most of the anglers apprehended in Sri Lanka are from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry as a result of geographical closeness.
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“Because it is Sri Lanka, it is natural that the majority of the fishermen will be from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry,” he claimed, laying out the concern’s local context.
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Providing an upgrade on the variety of anglers apprehended in Sri Lanka, Jaishankar claimed, “Till yesterday, there were 86 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody. Today, one more trawler has been apprehended, adding 11 more fishermen. So, in total, 97 are in custody–83 are serving sentences, three are awaiting trial, and 11 have been apprehended today.”
. Earlier on Thursday, the Sri Lankan Navy collared 11 Tamil Nadu anglers and took them toKangesanthurai Naval camp for examination, according to authorities.
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According to the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, 11Tamil Nadu anglers were collared in one watercraft angling in the Bay of Bengal inTamil Nadu Meanwhile, 7 anglers that were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy were launched from jail and gotten to Chennai Airport, Tamil Nadu, today.
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.(* )of the anglers were apprehended on
Four 20 and the various other 3 on 22 February, purportedly for cross-border angling.February
