Chennai: Due to the severe economic crisis in Sri Lanka, several Tamils have decided to risk their lives and cross the sea to reach the Tamilnadu coast to survive.
A total of 80 Sri Lankan Tamils have crossed the sea seeking refuge in India since the crisis began.
The latest is a family of five including a mother carrying her two-month-old infant who reached during the early hours of today on a fibre boat. They were rescued by Marine Police and were taken to Marine Police station for questioning.
With no signs of the Sri Lankan economic crisis coming to an end, daily-wage earners have started leaving the island nation for India through illegal means.
Last week, another batch of 15 persons from five families from Jaffna district reached Neduntheevu. A few others were dropped by boat near Kothandaramar temple on Rettai Thazhai shore, from where they trekked to Arichalmunai.
In the last one month, about 80 people, including women and children, have reached Indian shores by paying ‘ fancy’ prices to vessel operators, who dropped them near Dhanushkodi or any nearby island under the cover of darkness. For every ride, which covered a distance of less than 15 to 20 nautical miles in the Palk Strait, the boatmen allegedly charged anywhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000 per head.
Meanwhile, ater Tamilnadu Assembly passed a resolution seeking permission to supply rice and essential medicines as aid to Sri Lanka, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that the State government’s assistance can supplement what is being provided by the government of India and informed that Sri Lanka prefers inclusive distribution.
This comes as the resolution piloted by Chief Minister MK Stalin was unanimously passed by the house, including the opposition AIADMK and the BJP.
Meanwhile, Sate BJP president K Annamalai on Sunday said he hoped the government of Tamilnadu would hand over the aid package to Sri Lanka to the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure smooth passage to Sri Lanka without insisting on delivering it directly, ‘politicising the standard protocols’.
In a statement he said the resolution passed by the Tamilnadu Assembly urging the Union government to positively consider the request of the State government to immediately send food, essential commodities and life-saving medicines to the people of Sri Lanka, did not have the information about what India had already provided to Sri Lanka and was continuing to provide to the neighbouring nation.
