Sri Lanka asked to expedite rehabilitation process: P Chidambaram

India has asked Sri Lanka to expedite the construction of houses for Internally displaced persons (IDPs) as part of the rehabilitation process and the latter has promised to take it up after the monsoon period, Union home minister P Chidambaram said today.

India had conveyed this message during the recent visit of Sri Lankan Mahinda Rajapakse to India, Chidambaram told reporters here after meeting Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi.

As part of its efforts in the reconstruction of the war-torn areas of Sri Lanka, India has announced construction of 50,000 houses for the IDPs in the northern and eastern provinces of that nation.

"We had urged that there should be significant progress in this matter and Rajapakse has assured that the work will be taken up after monsoon," Chidambaram said.

To a query on Sri Lankan navy's action against Tamil Nadu fishermen, he said one person was killed in an attack by their navy and nine persons arrested (for transgressing into their maritime boundary) this year.