In a significant step that could prevent incidents of firing on Indian fishermen who stray into Sri Lankan territorial waters, Navy is installing seven state-of-the-art radars along Tamil Nadu's eastern coast from Rameswarm to Nagapattinam to monitor movements of boats.
The first of the radars, which will also help curb smuggling in the Palk Straits, had been commissioned in this island by Commodore Philip Van Haltren, naval officer-in charge, Tamil Nadu.
Other proposed places for the radars are Thondi, Jegathapattinam, Mallipattinam, Thopputhurai, Kodikarai and Nagapattinam.
The radar, manufactured in Britain, is capable of detecting even a small rowing boat, commander of the Naval Detachment Rathode Mukherjee said.
The recurring incidents of kidnapping and killing of fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy had been a major issue in the state and the government had been pressing the Centre to take up the matter with the Sri Lankan government.
Mukherjee said the Navy had brought to the notice of the state government the severe power fluctuation prevailing in the island town and warned that the equipment may not work if there was too much fluctuation.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government had warned Indian fishermen from crossing the international maritime border line. Those who crossed the IMBL would be arrested and their boats would be seized.
The warning had been sent to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, and would come into effect from today, Joint Director of state Fisheries department Vel Pandi said.
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