As many as 50 of the 87 trawlers detained in Sri Lankan since June 2014 are either fully or partly damaged and the salvage operation is likely to begin only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes his two-day visit to Colombo on March 14, The Hindu reported.
Though the newly elected Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena had ordered the release of the boats in early February, ahead of his India visit, the boats could not be salvaged as the Lankan Navy was busy with other engagements, official sources in Tamil Nadu said.
After arresting the fishermen on charges of poaching, the Lankan Navy confiscated 87 trawlers between June 1 and December 9, 2014. Three boats sank during detention, while 84 boats remained anchored in Trincomalee, Karainagar, Talaimannar and Kankesanthurai ports.
Due to months of neglect, the trawlers suffered extensive damage, the sources said. Fishermen leader U Arulanandam said four boats belonged to Karaikal fishermen, 39 to Rameswaram, 26 to Pudukottai, 10 to Nagapattinam and five to Mandapam fishermen.
“Only 30 boats are in floating condition and could be towed back,” the sources said, adding 15 trawlers were totally damaged and 35 partly damaged boats. They could be towed back only after carrying out repair works.
The fishermen leaders cried hoarse and urged the authorities to compensate the owners, who reportedly incurred huge debts to buy the boats. “We repeatedly pleaded for the release of the boats before the onset of north-east monsoon last October to avoid damage to boats but no one bothered,” lamented a fisherman.
After President Sirisena ordered the release of the boats, Assistant Director of Fisheries (Rameswaram) K T Gopinath and Inspector of Fisheries (Mandapam) and A M Gouthaman, deputed by the Tamil Nadu government, appeared before the Kayts, Trincomalee and Point Pedro courts and completed the formalities by presenting the relevant documents, but the boats could not be recovered immediately, The Hindu pointed out.
The officials were in Sri Lanka from February 12 to 26. The Indian Coast Guard too was ready to send teams, but the Lankan Navy was busy with Sirisena’s Indian visit and later with the Katchatheevu festival, The Hindu said citing Tamil Nadu sources.
(With inputs from The Hindu)
