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Northern fishermen want President to take up their sorry plight with Delhi

Published

3 years ago

2023/05/20

Thilina Walpola

One of the many vessels used for bottom trawling

Lankans increasingly deprived of their catch by invading Indian fishing hordes

By Dinasena Ratugamage

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who will soon pay an official visit to India, must discuss the continuous incursions by Indian fishermen, in hundreds of craft, into Sri Lankan territorial waters, daily, to steal the catch of their poor local counterparts, leaders of the Northern fishermen’s associations on Thursday pleaded with the Minister of Fisheries.

The representatives told Minister Douglas Devananda that a large number of Indian fishermen come into Sri Lankan territorial waters each day and increasingly deprive locals of their catch.

The Indian fishermen take large quantities of fish and often use fishing practices that are banned not only in Sri Lanka, but the world over and they included bottom trawling, the leaders of the Northern fishermen’s associations said. Fishermen from North and Puttalam were devastated by the actions of their Indian counterparts, they said.Minister Devananda promised the fishermen that he would inform the President of their demand.

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Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to accept 08 used low floorboard buses offered as a grant by the Government of Japan.

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Payment of the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Yala season 2026.

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

While approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 18.08.2025 to pay the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Maha season 2025/26, the programme is planned to be continued for the Yala season 2026 as well.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to pay a financial subsidy of Rupees 25,000/- per hectare and for a maximum of 02 hectares per farmer for paddy cultivation and to pay Rupees 15,000/- per hectare for field crops cultivated in paddy lands[maximum of 02 hectares per farmer]

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Ministerial Committee appointed to submit recommendations on proposed program to mitigate loss of crops to wild animals

Published

7 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The rural agricultural livelihood and food security have been severely impacted due to the damage caused by wild animals such as elephants, wild boars, monkeys, toque macaque, squirrels, and peacocks roaming around human habitats and cultivated lands.

Animal-human conflicts and property destruction have mostly been reported around these areas, and serious social and economic issues have also arisen.

Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation has prepared a comprehensive program based on the opinions of all stakeholders, including the public, university community, farmers’ organizations, environmentalists, non-governmental organizations which work for environmental issues, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Development, and other relevant organizations.

Taking into consideration the report submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a ministerial committee with the participation of other relevant ministers, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, to submit appropriate recommendations on how the aforementioned program should be implemented by further reviewing the proposals included in the said program and incorporating new proposals.