Madras HC finds fault with counter affidavit

The Madras High Court today found fault with an additional counter affidavit filed by Commissioner of Fisheries Development P Paul Pandian for not indicating the timeframe when the final 'National Policy on Marine Fisheries' would be ready as directed by it earlier.
The court made it clear to senior standing counsel J Madana Gopal Rao to answer the question on the next date of hearing on January 17 and "if he did not get instructions in the above regard the Joint Secretary of the Department should remain personally present in the court".
'Fisherman Care' had filed a PIL seeking implementation of the P Murari Committee recommendations to protect the livelihood of the fishing community.

The additional counter was filed when the PIL came up before the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar.
The affidavit stated that the report submitted by the High level Committee of Experts headed by S Ayyappan, former Director General of Fisheries, ICAR and DARE, was being reviewed by the department and awaiting a final decision from the stakeholders before whom the draft policy has been placed.
It submitted that operation of deep-sea fishing vessels under prevailing policies were suspended by the government based on recommendations by the Murari Committee.
It further submitted that the 'Draft National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2016', which also provides directives for development of deep-sea fisheries, "is under consideration and a decision regarding letter of permission regime shall be taken in due course, subsequent to finalisation of the new 'National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2016'.

The petition had sought withdrawal of the union government order passed on November 12, 2014 for conduct of fishing operations in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and that new fisheries legislation "may be enacted for fisheries development on the lines of the Murari Committee recommendations which has already been accepted by the Cabinet Committee on Economic affairs.