By Saman Indrajith

Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda has pledged to provide a prompt solution to prevent Indian fishermen from illegally fishing in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka. He said he would do so after having talks with the Indian Embassy in Colombo and the External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi, Parliament sources said yesterday. 

Minister Devnanda made that promise at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Fisheries in the Parliament complex on Tuesday, sources said. 

State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that Indian fishermen had been fishing illegally not only in the Northern and Eastern territorial waters but also in the Southern territorial waters and thus measures to put an end to such illegal activities had to be adopted with immediate effect. 

Minister Devanda said he had said so in response to a concern raised by MPs Charles Nirmalanathan, S. Sridharan and the Deputy Chairpersons of Committees Angajan Ramanathan. 

State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Deputy Chairpersons of Committees Angajan Ramanathan and MPs (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi, Charles Nirmalanathan, S. Sridharan, Kader Masthan, Shantha Bandara, Chandima Weerakkody, H. M. M. Harees were present at the meeting.

Minister Devananda had said that the issue of illegal fishing by Indian fishermen had already been discussed with the Indian HC in Colombo on a number of occasions and that the matter has also been taken up during an online discussion held recently between Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

MP Nirmalanathan and the Deputy Chairpersons of Committees Ramanathan pointed out that the Sri Lankan Navy had intervened in the recent past to prevent Indian fishermen from entering the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, the current COVID situation has led to a large number of Indian fishermen crossing the border illegally. They and requested the Minister to find a solution to the issue even if it requires the intervention of the Navy.

MP Galappaththi requested the Minister to expedite the development of the Kirinda and Hambantota fishing harbours, and the State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the Ministry of Fisheries was already working on them.