“Secure release of fishermen”
Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) president G.K. Vasan has appealed to the Centre to secure the release of 77 Tamil Nadu fishermen, including 28 from Rameswaram, held in Sri Lankan prisons and their 83 boats – 21 of them from Rameswaram – which have been confiscated by the Lankan navy.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, he said that some of the fishermen were incarcerated for more than six months and urged the Narendra Modi government to take up the issue with Sri Lankan government and secure their release at the earliest.
The government should also pay compensation to the owners of 18 boats, which were completely damaged and could not be salvaged last year, he said. The livelihood of the fishermen, who were fishing in the traditional waters of the Palk Bay was being continuously infringed upon by the Lankan navy and the Centre should come out with a solution to protect the livelihood of the fishermen.
Of late, the Lankan navy used high speed water scooters and scarred the fishermen, he said.
Mr. Vasan said that the State government should fulfil the long-pending demand of starting a medical college in the district. Having taken a policy decision, the government should accord permission for the college at the Government District Headquarters Hospital which had all necessary infrastructure. He said that the Centre should provide a new building to Kendriya Vidyalaya School, presently functioning in a municipal building in Rameswaram.
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