New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that 97 fishermen mostly from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were in Sri Lankan custody.
Replying to a supplementary question raised by DMK’s Tiruchi Siva during the question hour, he said that, “Till yesterday there were 86 fishermen in Sri Lankan custody. Today one more trawler has been apprehended and 11 more have been captured. So, 97 fishermen are in Lankan custody”.
He said that 83 fishermen were serving sentences, three are awaiting trial and 11 of them have been apprehended on Thursday (March 27).
Jaishankar said that the amendments to two Sri Lankan laws in 2018 and 2023 have introduced stricter penalties, including “stiffer sentences, bigger fines, and greater detentions” and these have been posing a challenge in handling issues.
He said that many of those serving sentences are boat owners, skippers, or repeat offenders.
On putting a full stop on this issue, the Minister said “Our government has inherited a problem. This problem began in 1974, when the International Maritime Boundary line was drawn by the then Union Government with consultations with the state government and then in 1976, an exchange of letters happened where the fishing jurisdictions were delineated.
So the decision taken in 1974 and 1976 are the root cause of the situation we are facing”.
He said that the government engages in periodic diplomatic discussions with the Sri Lankan authorities to secure the release of fishermen.
Jaishankar stated that under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, the government is equipping boats with transponders to reduce inadvertent crossings. Additionally, efforts are being made to identify an alternative solution.
