New Delhi, July 04: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani has assured the National Fishworkers's Forum (NFF) to look into the problems faced by fishermen in border areas and find a permanent solution to their illegal detention by neighbouring countries. The serious problem of arrest and detention of fishermen straying into Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi territory, was discussed with Advani by an NFF delegation yesterday, the forum said in a release today.


"Advani assured the delegates that he would take special interest in settling the issue of detention of fishermen in border areas," the delegation leader Thomas Kocherry said.

The delegation also met agriculture minister Rajnath Singh and petroleum minister Ram Naik to discuss their demands including adequate supply of kerosene and diesel, implementation of Murari Committee recommendations.


The delegation comprised of fishermen leaders from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala and West Bengal.


NFF said Rajnath Singh assured the delegation that concrete steps to provide adequate kerosene and diesel to marine fishermen would be taken immediately.
A committee comprising fishermen's representatives would be set up within seven days to work in tandem with the ministry for the implementation of the Murari Committee recommendations that included cancellation of permits issued to big vessels for fishing.

Naik assured them to look into the demand of earmarking some percentage of kerosene for traditional fishing crafts from the state quota, the release added.
Bureau Report