We never fire at Indian fishermen: Lankan envoy

VADODARA: Sri Lankan High commissioner in India, P. Kariyawasam, said on Thursday that the Sri Lankan navy never fires at Indian fishermen, who sometimes wander into their boundary.

Kariyawasam was in the city to attend an HR conclave organised by the Federation of Gujarat Industries (FGI) to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sayajirao Gaekwad III.

"We never fire at the fishermen. If they cross international boundary while fishing they are released later," Kariyawasam told media-persons. An Italian merchant vessel recently fired at Indian fishermen in the southern coast mistaking them as pirates. Two fishermen were killed in the incident. Kariyawasam, who visited Gujarat for the first time, was all praises for the state.

"I have visited this place for the first time and I must say I am impressed with the development here. I would like to meet Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi too," he said. He also drew comparisons between Gujarat and Sri Lanka stating that both have a long sea coast.
He added that Sri Lanka has good potential to be developed as a tourism hub and more Indians should invest in Sri Lanka as his country gets good number of tourists. He also stressed on the need to develop and provide better infrastructure.

Kariyawasam also said that a 500 megawatt coal-based power plant is being set up in Sri Lanka in a joint venture between the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). He put his weight behind India and said that his government supported India's demand for being made a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Kariyawasam said that the Indian government handled the recent Maldives crisis sensibly by not interfering directly into their affairs. (Source: The Times of India)