Lok Sabha Debates
Need To Protect The Indian Fishermen Frequently Attacked By Sri Lankan Navy. on 22 November, 2011
> Title: Need to protect the Indian fishermen frequently attacked by Sri Lankan Navy.
SHRI MANICKA TAGORE (VIRUDHUNAGAR): The Union Government of India is aware that for the past several years, the Sri Lankan Navy is continuously attacking our Indian fishermen in Tamil Nadu coastal area who are fishing in our Indian territory. Many fishermen were captured, physically attacked and the fishing nets, boats were badly damaged by Sri Lankan Navy. As a result their life and livelihood are badly affected. Even though our Indian Government has taken up this matter with the Sri Lankan Government many a times, but still they are repeating the same and there is no sign of stoppage of such incidents. The Chief Minister of earlier and present Government of Tamil Nadu have also brought it to the notice of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister many a times, but proper action has not been taken by both the Indian and Sri Lankan Government. It may be noted that since May, 2011, around eleven times, the Sri Lankan Navy has attacked our Indian fishermen particularly in Nagapattinam, Tuticorin, Kanyakumari coastal areas that too in our Indian territory.
Hence, I urge upon the Union Government to take proper action i.e. install a GPS (Global Positioning System) in the fishermen’s boat so that their movement can be easily identified, surveillance by our Indian Navy in our coastal area to stop the movement of Sri Lankan Navy in our territory may be undertaken. Further, Indian Government should extend financial assistance to the affected fishermen and provide fishing nets, boats which were damaged during the attack by Sri Lankan Navy so that their lives and livelihood could be changed and developed.