Representatives of fishermen’s associations in India and Sri Lanka will meet in Colombo on May 12 over the Palk Bay conflict.
Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday, Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne said a government-level discussion involving experts from both countries would be held, following the fishermen’s meet, to work out a sustainable solution. “Leaders of fishermen from both sides will discuss the issue from their perspectives and we will use those inputs at the experts’ meeting,” he said.
The upcoming meeting, a follow-up to the first round of talks held in January in Chennai, was scheduled to be held in March but was cancelled twice as the Indian side reportedly failed to confirm participation in time.
Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen living in the predominantly Tamil-speaking northern province have, for long, been raising concerns over alleged poaching by Indian fishermen on Sri Lankan waters.
