Sri Lanka won't tolerate Indian fishermen destroying its resources: Mahinda Rajapaksa

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that Sri Lanka won't tolerate Indian fishermen using destructive methods to deplete the island-nation's fishery resources and destroying its environment. "Fishermen from the Indian side have been destroying the environment, using massive bottom trawlers, which are depleting all the resources of fish, and we cannot tolerate that. And bottom trawling of this kind is banned even in India now," The Hindu quoted President Rajapaksa, as saying.

According to the Lanka Page web site, he said that the boats of the Indian fishermen would not be returned as the latter would indulge in the same activity again. He also said that bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka are strong. On the rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils, the President said he is open for a dialogue with the main Tamil National Alliance (TNA) party on the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which devolves more powers to provinces in the island nation.

However, he said that when it comes to the 13th Amendment, other than police powers, they (Tamils) have all powers. He also said he was okay with a TNA delegation meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi last month.