Govt. relaxes curbs on TN fishermen visiting Katchatheevu fest
March 12, 2011 10:56 am
RAMESWARAM: The Sri Lankan government has accorded permission for fishermen from Tamil Nadu to visit Katchatheevu islet on March 19 and stay there for a day to attend St Antony’s festival the next day.
“In a previous communication, the Sri Lankan navy had said that devotees from Tamil Nadu participating in the annual feast at the Katchatheevu islet, ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974, would be allowed to visit only on the morning of the festival on March 20.” Ever since the islet was ceded, Tamil Nadu fishermen were permitted to visit Katchatheevu during the festival and for drying nets.
The Sri Lankan government has assured that devotees would be allowed on March 19 itself as usual, said Ramanathapuram Parish priest Fr Michael Raj, organizer of the festival.
Devotees, mostly families of fishermen from the coastal Rameswaram district, would take a four-hour boat ride across the Palk Strait and throng the islet every year a day before the festival. Though Sri Lankan fishermen too visit the islet during the festival, their numbers dwindled after the ethnic war broke out in 1983. Gradually the Lankan fishermen almost stopped visiting Katchatheevu until last year when they participated in the fest.
This year, even as fishermen from Ramanathapuram were gearing up for the festival, the Sri Lankan navy had instructed that they could land on the islet only on March 20.
“The Sri Lankan navy had earlier instructed that fishermen would not be allowed the previous day. But the issue was taken up with the Sri Lankan government through Indian embassy in Colombo. Subsequently, the Lankan government has agreed to allow devotees the previous day itself,” Michael Raj said.
“Usually we go there two days ahead of the festival to make preparations. We were terribly upset when there were reports that we will be allowed only on March 20,” said N J Bose, secretary of Tamil Nadu Mechanised Boat Fishermen Association, who has been participating in the fest for more than three decades.
Fishermen from Tamil Nadu who participate in the fest would have to register themselves with the district administration and obtain a written permission that would be verified by the Sri Lankan authorities before they are allowed to land in Katchatheevu, the Times of India reported.
“In a previous communication, the Sri Lankan navy had said that devotees from Tamil Nadu participating in the annual feast at the Katchatheevu islet, ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974, would be allowed to visit only on the morning of the festival on March 20.” Ever since the islet was ceded, Tamil Nadu fishermen were permitted to visit Katchatheevu during the festival and for drying nets.
The Sri Lankan government has assured that devotees would be allowed on March 19 itself as usual, said Ramanathapuram Parish priest Fr Michael Raj, organizer of the festival.
Devotees, mostly families of fishermen from the coastal Rameswaram district, would take a four-hour boat ride across the Palk Strait and throng the islet every year a day before the festival. Though Sri Lankan fishermen too visit the islet during the festival, their numbers dwindled after the ethnic war broke out in 1983. Gradually the Lankan fishermen almost stopped visiting Katchatheevu until last year when they participated in the fest.
This year, even as fishermen from Ramanathapuram were gearing up for the festival, the Sri Lankan navy had instructed that they could land on the islet only on March 20.
“The Sri Lankan navy had earlier instructed that fishermen would not be allowed the previous day. But the issue was taken up with the Sri Lankan government through Indian embassy in Colombo. Subsequently, the Lankan government has agreed to allow devotees the previous day itself,” Michael Raj said.
“Usually we go there two days ahead of the festival to make preparations. We were terribly upset when there were reports that we will be allowed only on March 20,” said N J Bose, secretary of Tamil Nadu Mechanised Boat Fishermen Association, who has been participating in the fest for more than three decades.
Fishermen from Tamil Nadu who participate in the fest would have to register themselves with the district administration and obtain a written permission that would be verified by the Sri Lankan authorities before they are allowed to land in Katchatheevu, the Times of India reported.
