By IANS
Chennai : The Sri Lankan Navy has mined its waters, and Indian authorities have warned fishermen from Tamil Nadu not to venture near the danger zone.
Police sources in Ramanathapuram, about 700 km south of here, have told the local media that the Sri Lanka Navy has mined its maritime borders in a bid to stop Tamils from fleeing to India.
The Indian Navy’s Commodore Phillip Van Haltren, officer in charge of the Tamil Nadu coast, has confirmed that he has received communication from the Sri Lankan authorities on the placement of a “sea defence system”.
The mines have been reportedly laid between the Katchchatheevu and Neduntheevu islands, causing dismay among Indian fishermen who find “good catch” in the area between the two countries.
“The message implied is that there will be serious consequence if fishing boats from Tamil Nadu or elsewhere come in contact with the explosives planted under the waters,” Van Haltren said.
Commander S. Mukherji said that the Sri Lankan Navy Tuesday seized 12 Indian fishing boats for violating the international waters.
At the same time, India’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, has said that the much-hyped Sethusamudram shipping canal project “will be useful only for small ships and not those navigating international routes”.
His comments, at a seminar here, have added weight to critics of the canal who say that the project will facilitate movement of Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers to international waters.
The proposed canal seeks to cut navigation time between the east and west coasts by allow ships go avoid circumventing Sri Lanka.