The Madras High Court has reserved orders on a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Union Government to give adequate protection to Tamil Nadu fishermen.
In the public interest litigation petition, the petitioner, L.T.A. Peter Rayan, a retired Deputy Secretary to the Tamil Nadu Government, and president, Fisherman Care, an association, said the customary rights of fishermen of both the countries to engage in fishing in each other's waters were retained in the agreement between India and Sri Lanka in 1974.
That being the situation, so far no law had prevented the Sri Lankan Navy from killing Indian fishermen. After the elimination of LTTE, the island navy was more aggressive and posing a serious threat to the life and property of the Tamil Nadu fishermen.
The petitioner also sought a direction to the Union Government to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of a High Court Judge to enquire into “the negligence and the failure of the Coast Guard to prevent the human rights violation by the Sri Lankan Navy against the Tamil Nadu fishermen.
