TMC leader G.K. Vasan has appealed to the Centre to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government and secure the release of 73 fishermen arrested on charges of poaching and 101 boats that have been impounded.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday after receiving representation from Mechanised Fishermen Association leaders N.J. Bose and P. Devadoss, Mr. Vasan said fishermen from Rameswaram to Nagapattinam faced serious threat to their livelihood as the Sri Lankan Navy continued to arrest and attack them.
Last year, when the Sri Lankan government ordered the release of impounded boats, 18 of them could not be salvaged as they suffered extensive damage, Mr Vasan said, urging the Central and State governments to provide compensation to the boat owners. The Centre should take constructive steps and protect the livelihood of the fishermen, he said.
Mr. Vasan, who was here to discuss party affairs with TMC office-bearers, urged the State government to address the problems faced by handloom weavers in the district and clear the payment of rebates pending for about three years.
