sL rejects Indian plea for 3-year grace period

Sri Lanka has rejected India’s request for a three-year period to phase out current fishing practices by Indian fishermen in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait that separate the countries, a report here said on Sunday. 

It has also not agreed to other requests by New Delhi to release confiscated boats and grant 80 days of fishing to Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, the Sunday Times reported. 

Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the daily from New Delhi on telephone that the issues could not be resolved during talks with Indian ministers, who comprised Sushma Swaraj, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan and State Minister of Shipping P Radhakrishnan.