India, Lanka to hold meeting on fishermen issue in May

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday said that she held consultations with the top Sri Lankan leadership to resolve the issue of fishermen from Tamil Nadu, ANI news agency reported.

Intervening during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, she said a meeting of ministers dealing with fisheries of both countries is being convened in May to evolve a mechanism to resolve the lingering issue. "The government will enforce installation of GPS on fishing boats to steer it clear of maritime boundaries of Gujarat," she added.

Earlier, the fishermen in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry withdrew their strike demanding the immediate release of fellow fishermen lodged in Sri Lankan jails.

The fishermen are urging the government to secure the release of twenty-seven Indian fishermen still languishing in Lankan jails after they were arrested by the Lankan Navy. The fishermen also want the government to take steps to secure the release of 71 fishing boats detained by Sri Lanka.