A writ petition had been filed in the Madras High Court for a direction to the Centre to constitute a committee headed by a judge of the High Court to inquire into the negligence and failure of the Coast Guard to prevent the human rights violations constantly committed by the Lankan Navy against the fishermen of TN since 1983 and consequently for a direction to them to assess the loss of life and property and report to the government for the rehabilitation of the families of the victims.
Another writ petition from LTA Peter Rayan, president of Fishermen Care, Tiruchandur Nagar near Pallavaram, Chennai, prayed for a direction to the Centre to provide adequate protection to the fishermen, who enjoyed their traditional rights of fishing in the historical waters between India and Sri Lanka, as guaranteed in the 1974 agreement between the two nations.
The First Bench comprising Chief Justice MY Eqbal and Justice TS Sivagnanam, before which the public interest writ petitions came up for hearing, reserved their orders, today.
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