Fishermen told not to cross IMBL; Collector, naval officers hold consultative meet in Rameswaram

Indian officials meet with fishermen to discuss safe fishing practices and address issues with Sri Lankan Navy in Ramanathapuram district.

In a step forward, the top officials from the Indian Navy, Customs, Fisheries Department, and police in Ramanathapuram district held an interactive session with fishermen on Tuesday.

The officials appealed to the fishermen to engage in fishing within the IMBL and not to venture beyond the territorial waters as the Sri Lankan Navy personnel were on surveillance and took action against the fishermen as per their laws.

The officials also suggested alternative methods for fishing, such as deep sea fishing. They wanted the fishermen to engage in safe practices and insisted on taking tokens from the fisheries department without fail prior to venturing into the Palk Bay.

Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, who chaired the meeting, said that the government has numerous welfare measures for the fisherfolk and urged them to make use of them. The Indian Navy officials, led by Vijay Kumar Narwal, Customs Superintendent, Mahesh Kumar Meena, DSP, Uma Devi, Deputy Director (Fisheries), Prabhavathi, and others spoke.

Representing the fishermen, the leaders Bose, Sagayam and Karl Marx said that they should be allowed to stay in fishing and thus give them more time. Currently, they had to return to the shore in 24 hours, they pointed out. Likewise, they wanted the government’s intervention in getting them minimum support price for the catch.

The fishermen also said that since June 15, when the annual fishing ban period was lifted, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrested 122 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and impounded 11 mechanised and eight country boats. They urged the governments to intervene and ensure that their livelihood was not affected.