First India, Sri Lanka committee on fisheries meets:
Joint interrogation committee mooted
India and Sri Lanka on Friday held a joint committee meeting for the
first time on fisheries during which the island nation emphasised the
need to set up a joint interrogation mechanism for speedy release of
fishermen, if held by any side.
This was among other issues discussed at the first meeting on the
contentious issue, a government official present at the meeting said.
"It was noted at the meeting that there are currently no bonafide
fishermen in each other's custody. However, Sri Lanka stressed the need
to set up a joint interrogation committee in other coastal Indian states
on the lines of Tamil Nadu," the official said after a three-hour
meeting.
In the absence of such a mechanism, a Sri Lankan official said there
is delay in the release of fishermen belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Odisha
and other coastal states as well as Sri Lankan fishermen jailed in these
states, the official said.
India informed Sri Lanka these coastal states have been asked to set
up such a mechanism at the earliest, the official added.
Tamil Nadu is the only coastal state at present which has a joint
interrogation mechanism.
Under this system, efforts are made for early release of fishermen
without getting into legal procedures like filing FIRs and others.
Besides, the joint committee explored avenues for bilateral
cooperation in fisheries and discussed opportunities of joint ventures
in the fisheries sector.
"The two sides agreed to examine joint opportunities between
respective scientific institutes in research, development and
capacity-building," according to the joint statement issued after the
meeting.
To maintain the momentum of bilateral dialogue process, the two sides
agreed to organize the next round of meeting of the joint committee in
Colombo at a suitable date, it added.
India has signed MoUs with many countries like Vietnam in the
fisheries sector but it has not yet signed such an agreement with Sri
Lanka.
An MoU with Sri Lanka will institutionalize the cooperation in the
fisheries sector and also help resolve issues related to fishermen, the
sources said.
There is already a joint working group between the two countries
under the External Affairs Ministry looking into fishermen issues. But
the joint committee under the Agriculture Ministry will focus on
developing fisheries sector with mutual cooperation.
- Jagran Post
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