For the first time, a mechanised boat belonging to a fisherman from Rameswaram, which was impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy in 2022, was salvaged and brought back home on Thursday.
Thanking Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his efforts with the Union government, fishermen leader Jesu Raja from Thangachimadam said that the Sri Lankan government was kind enough to discharge the mechanised boat to the fisherman. “They have understood our plight and graciously salvaged the property…. The livelihood issues faced by the fishermen has finally been addressed… We hope this will be a good beginning between the two countries. Soon, our other long pending grievances will be redressed,” he noted.
The case on November 5, 2022, when eight fishermen ventured into the sea in a boat owned by Christopher Singam of Rameswaram, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel seized the boat and arrested all the eight fishermen. They were jailed in Jaffna Prisons on charges of poaching and among other violations.
On November 17, 2022, the court in the island nation released the arrested fishermen after getting an undertaking that they would not cross the IMBL or violate the regulations in future and let them off, but did not release the mechanised boat.
The fishermen leaders’ appealed to the Union government to intervene and a delegation from Rameswaram met Mr. Stalin in this regard.
As a sequel, on December 9, 2022 a court in Mannar district, which heard the case, directed the release of the mechanised boat owned by Christopher Singam. After fulfilling the formalities between the two countries, on March 18, 21 fishermen from Rameswaram set off to Sri Lanka in four mechanised boats to bring back the salvaged boat back home.
The Department of Fisheries in a press release said that following the petitions submitted by the fishermen association and their leaders, District Collector Johny Tom Varghese had taken it up with the State government. The continuous follow-up by the State government with the Union government had successfully helped in the salvage of the mechanised boat.
The fishermen leader Mr. Jesu Raja thanked the Sri Lankan authorities and the Naval officer Nalindra Jayasinghe for the hospitality extended to the fishermen during the three days in the island nation, to bring back the salvaged boat.