President’s visit to Katchatheevu: Govt to increase alert on island.

By Kelum Bandara  

The government is seeking to increase watch on the Katchatheevu island to prevent it from being used as a smuggling spot , a Minister said yesterday.   

Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar told Daily Mirror that some errant elements use this island as a spot for smuggling contraband items such as Kerala Ganja from India . Besides, he said even items such as essential commodities and textiles are smuggled at time ,though in small quantities from India where things are relatively cheaper.   

He said the latest visit by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the island, the first by a Sri Lankan Head of State, was meant not only to reassert Sri Lanka’s right over the island but also to explore the possibility of using it productively.   

The Minister said the visit was not otherwise a mere response to the South Indian leaders who wanted to retrieve the island.   

The Katchatheevu island belongs to Sri Lanka according to the agreements between India- Sri Lanka.  

In June 1974, then Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Sirimavo Bandaranaike signed the Agreement between Sri Lanka and India on the Boundary in Historic Waters between the two Countries. However, South Indian politicians and leaders try to exert pressure on the Central Government of India to take over the island.    Mr.Chandrasekar said that the government would develop the nearby Delft island for tourism.   

“Katchatheevu is close to Delft. Once the tourism zone is developed, Katchatheevu will also attract tourists, “ he said.