Rameswaram: The coastguard will take
steps to secure the release of 106 fishermen, allegedly
abducted by Sri Lankan fishermen and reportedly handed over to
Lankan authorities, a top official said Wednesday.
Coastguard personnel and Sri Lankan Navy officials hold
goodwill talks every six months, Inspector General S P Sharma,
Commander Coastguard (East), told reporters here.
Sharma, who had also been instrumental in addressing the
issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen at international forums when he
was Director of Operations (Coastguard) at Delhi, hoped that
the fishermen`s problem would be resolved amicably.
The fishermen, belonging to three hamlets in Nagapattinam
district, were abducted yesterday.
He said coastguard ships and hovercrafts had now been
provided with latest equipment that could accurately monitor
the sea and supervise border areas.
About 12,000 Lankan Tamil refugees had come to the
country between 2006 and 2009, he said.
A new jetty would come up at Karaikal and Puducherry for
use by the coastguard, he said, adding that new ships were
being built and electronic equipment was being used to monitor
intrusion accurately.
Sharma said the coastguard was giving priority and
importance to its station at Mandapam near here in view of its
strategic location on the tip of Tamil Nadu.
"As the international maritime border line is close by,
the station here is being given all the importance required,"
said the Commander, who visited the coastguard station here
yesterday.
Today he reviewed the preparedness and took stock of the
prevailing security situation in the Palk Bay and Gulf of
Mannar.
Operational capabilities and readiness of the coastguard
and security measures were also reviewed and he interacted
with officers and personnel of the Coastguard.
He also went around the sea off Rameswaram coast and held
talks with the officials at Uchipuli Naval base.
PTI
