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Fishing in turns in Palk Bay a solution: Kalam
- Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen could fish in the Palk Bay in turns to avoid the current problems, or switch to deep sea fishing for better returns, Former Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has said.
- he said that of the seven days of the week, Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen should fish in turns for three days each, leaving one day for resting.
- Mr. Kalam pointed out that “a very small country in Europe” had a per capita income of U.S. $ 40,000 because its fishermen had resorted to deep sea fishing in a major way, while Sri Lanka had a per capita income of about $ 3,000 and India, about $ 2,000. He suggested that if Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen took to deep sea fishing, they would earn more and contribute better to the economies of their countries.
Why sleep over repatriation of foreign prisoners, asks court
- The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the inordinate delay in the release and repatriation of foreigners languishing (mostly Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Iran) in Indian jails even after completing their sentences.
- Justice Lodha said: “This amounted to a gross violation of Article 21 of the Constitution relating to personal freedom. We are constrained to observe that the government has failed to appreciate the urgency and allowed the matter relating to repatriation of a large number of prisoners to linger, ignoring their right to liberty.”
- “We don't want bureaucrats to sleep over the files.”
- The court said that under Clause 4 of the May 21, 2008 Indo-Pak agreement, the two governments should provide nationals of either country consular access within three months of their detention or arrest. But in several cases, consular access was being provided only upon completion of sentence by the convicts. This resulted in delays in the verification of their nationalities and subsequent repatriation.
