Crackdown on Indian poaching

by P. Krishnaswamy

The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) is to hold urgent discussions with fishermen's co-operative societies and 82 village-level fishermen's organisations to map out a strategy of dealing with poaching by Indian fishermen, Rural Development, Transport and Commerce Minister for the Northern Province, Balasubramaniam Daniswaran said.

The outcome of our consultations will be shared with both the New Delhi administration and the Tamil Nadu Government, ahead of meetings to be held in Chennai,” he said. There are 28 fishermen's cooperative societies, representing nearly 35,000 fisher families in the Northern Province alone. The previous government also established 82 village-level organisations, that led to conflicts among the organisations, which are now being resolved, Daniswaran said.

At an April 2 meeting with the NPC, President Maithripala Sirisena announced that the NPC had the powers to handle all issues relating to northern fishermen, on its own.The provincial minister said, amendments to the exisitng law are to be introduced.