Sri Lanka releases 11 Indian fishermen as special gesture
Colombo (PTI): Sri Lanka on Sunday released at least 11 Indian fishermen as a special gesture, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for resolving the vexed fishermen issue with a "humane approach".
The fishermen issue figured prominently during talks between PM Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday.
"We also discussed issues related to fishermen's livelihood. We agreed that we should proceed with a humane approach in this matter," Modi said in his media statement after meeting Dissanayake.
"We also emphasised on immediate release of the fishermen and their boats," he said.
At least 11 Indian fishermen were released as a special gesture, people familiar with the matter said.
The fishermen issue is a contentious one in ties between the two sides.
There have been several alleged incidents in the past of Sri Lankan Navy personnel using force against Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait which is a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka.
At a media briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the fishermen issue was discussed in "considerable detail" between the two sides.
"As the prime minister said himself during his remarks, there was an emphasis on the need to adopt a humanitarian and constructive approach to cooperation on these issues because these are ultimately issues that impact the livelihood of fishermen on both sides of the Palk Bay," he said.
"The prime minister emphasised that at the end of the day, it is a daily issue for the fishermen and that certain actions that have been taken in recent times could be reconsidered," Misri said.
The foreign secretary said both sides also emphasised the need to intensify the institutional discussions on the issue.
"Both sides are in touch with each other on the possibility of convening the next round of fishermen's association talks between Sri Lanka and India," he said.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
