News

Rameswaram fishermen demanding release of fishers arrested by Sri Lanka

Published

5 days ago

September 16, 2023

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Fishermen in Rameswaram went on a strike on Saturday demanding the release of eight Rameswaram fishers arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities.

All the 800 odd fishing vessels were moored at the fishing jetty and fishermen did not collect the fishing tokens.

The Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday night detained 17 fishermen — eight Rameswaram fishermen and nine fishers from Pudukkottai district — on charges of poaching in the territorial waters of the island nation. The Sri Lanka navy seized the three fishing boats from them.

The fishermen were produced before a Lankan court in Jaffna and lodged in prison after the court remanded them in judicial custody till September 27.

Condemning the repeated arrests of fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy, the fishermen associations called for a strike on Saturday. “The state government and the Centre should expedite diplomatic measures to release our fishermen and the fishing vessels confiscated by Sri Lanka,” said fishermen leader P Jesuraja from Rameswaram.

Sri Lanka navy has seized 17 trawlers and apprehended 110 Indian fishermen so far in 2023. While the Lankan courts usually release the fishermen on conditional bail that they should never return to Sri Lanka for fishing, the fishing crafts are not returned to the boat owners.

Source: The Times of India

News

Number of rabies deaths on the rise

Published

2 hours ago

September 21, 2023

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The Ministry of Health said that the number of people who have died from rabies has increased in the last few years.

Dr. Heshan Guruge, medical officer of the Anti-Rabies Division, said that the lack of knowledge about rabies as well as the bites of animals other than dogs have led to the increase in these deaths.

Dr. Guruge expressed these views while attending a discussion held yesterday (20) at the Health Promotion Bureau in conjunction with the World Rabies Day on September 28.

“When studying the human deaths that happened in the last few years due to rabies, we can see that a number of animals other than dogs have bit them. In some cases, it is not even possible to know who the animal is. Several people who had passed out after being drunk had been bitten by some animal. After a few days, the symptoms of rabies develop. Several such incidents were reported in the last two or three years. Proper first aid should be given in case of any animal bite. Wash the wound with soap and water. If you have alcohol at home, an iodine solution like betadine, surgical spirit, or an antiseptic liquid like hydrogen peroxide, you can use it. Then go to a hospital. If we do this, we can eliminate rabies from Sri Lanka,” he said.

Don’t get closer to new pets for two weeks

Meanwhile, Dr. Athula Liyanapathirana, community specialist of the Epidemiology Unit, said that 12 people have died due to rabies in 2023 so far.

He said that there is a risk of contracting rabies from the bites of all mammals.

The Anti-rabies Unit said that 25 to 30 people die from rabies every year.

The Epidemiology Unit requested the people not to get closer to pets such as dogs and cats for 14 days after bringing them home.

Arrangements should be made to vaccine the dogs against rabies before a period of four weeks has passed.

When bitten by a dog, the area should be washed and cleaned with soap for ten minutes, and after that it is important to seek medical treatment immediately.