Lok Sabha Question No. 2194 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-15
Subject: Katchatheevu Island
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: PARASURAMAN K.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2194 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2017

## KATCHATHEEVU ISLAND

## 2194. SHRI K PARASURAMAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  Indian  fishermen  were  arrested  in  Katchatheevu Island recently particularly Tamil Nadu fishermen;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  up  this  issue  with  the concerned country for early release of these prisoners and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the number of prisoners released as a result thereof during the last  three  years  and  the  time  by  which  rest  of  the  prisoners are likely to be released?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) & (b) While  Tamilnadu  fishermen  have  not  been  arrested  in Katchtheevu  itself,  a  number  of  them  have  been  apprehended  in waters between India and Sri Lanka.
- (c) Government  attaches  the  highest  importance  to  the  safety, security  and  welfare  of  Indian  fishermen.  As  soon  as  reports  of apprehension  of  Indian  fishermen  by  Sri  Lankan  authorities  are received,  Government,  through  diplomatic  channels,  immediately takes up the matter with Government of Sri Lanka to secure their early  release  and  repatriation  along  with  their  vessels.  India  has consistently maintained that the fishermen issues involve longstanding livelihood and socio-economic practices and humanitarian concerns on both sides. It has been conveyed to the Sri  Lankan  side  at  the  highest  levels  that  the  issue  needs  to  be

handled  with  great  care  and  sensitivity.  A  Joint  Working  Group (JWG)  on  Fisheries  has  been  set  up  as  a  bilateral  institutional mechanism  to  help  find  a  permanent  solution  to  all  fishermen issues.  It  has  also  been  agreed  that  Ministers  for  Fisheries  of  the two  countries  meet  every  six  months  to  review  the  progress.  The first meeting of the JWG on Fisheries was held in New Delhi on 31 December  2016  and  the  first  ministerial  meeting  was  held  on  2 January 2017 in Colombo.

## (d) The number of Indian fishermen released during the last three years is as under:

|   Year |   Number of fishermen arrested | Number of fishermen released                      |
|--------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
|   2014 |                            787 | 1045 (including 273 of 2013 & 772 of 2014)        |
|   2015 |                            454 | 375 (including 15 of 2014 & 360 of 2015)          |
|   2016 |                            290 | 333 (including 94 of 2015 & 239 of 2016)          |
|   2017 |                             85 | 51 (51 fishermen of 2016 released on 06 Jan 2017) |

Government  has  been  pursuing  with  the  Government  of  Sri Lanka the early release of the 85 Indian fishermen currently under their custody. As a result of our efforts, progress has been made in that direction which await the issuance of formal orders.

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