Chennai: A city based NGO has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Madras High Court, seeking to direct immigration authorities to take steps to repatriate four Burmese fishermen, who drifted into Indian territorial waters in 2006.
Secretary of the Overseas Indian Organization, K Gurumurthy submitted in his writ petition that the four fishermen are in need of humanitarian aid to enable them to go back to their country.
Admitting the petition, a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice S J Mukhopadhaya and Justice M Venugopal ordered a notice to Ministry of Home Affairs, the Chief Immigration Officer-South Zone-Chennai, State Home Secretary and The District Collector, Chennai, asking them to submit their response. Assistant Solicitor-General P. Wilson, took the notice on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Chief Immigration Officer.
The petitioner said that they had approached the Nodal Committee for sending the fishermen back to the country of their origin and the committee after due interrogation and verification, declared them innocent and that they could be sent back to their country.
The petitioner also submitted that the family members of the fishermen and the Burmese government too have written to the Indian immigration authorities in May 2007 requesting issue of travel documents and exit permits to the fishermen. However, so far there has been no response from either the Central or State authorities about the return of the fishermen.
The petitioner contending that the four stranded fishermen were put to untold agony prayed to the court to direct the respondent to issue exit visas and other necessary documents for their return home.
The four fishermen had strayed to the shores of Chennai in 2006 as the craft in which they were fishing in Burmese territorial waters drifted to the waters of the Bay of Bengal following a storm. They miraculously survived the onslaught of the storm and were rescued by Chennai fishermen at Mahabalipuram. Later, they were brought to Kasimedu police station where they were remanded for offences under the Passport Act.
The NGO Overseas Indian Organization after coming to know about their plight through newspapers decided to help these fishermen who are currently under its protection.
