Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday sought responses from both the Central and State governments regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) petition.
The petition requests permission for traditional fishermen to use fiberglass-reinforced plastic motorized boats to travel to Katchatheevu for the St. Antony’s Church festival, scheduled for March 14 and 15 this year.
Prince Raymond, a petitioner from Ramanathapuram district, argued that it has been a long-standing tradition for Christians to observe the Lenten festival at St. Antony’s Church in Katchatheevu, an island located between India and Sri Lanka.
“It has been a long-standing tradition for Christians to observe the Lenten festival at St. Antony’s Church in Katchatheevu, located between India and Sri Lanka,” he stated.
Since 2010, fishermen and the general public have used motorized country boats to travel to Katchatheevu for the festival. However, in 2013, authorities banned these boats, citing safety concerns. Following this, travelers had to use mechanized boats, which resulted in a travel cost of over ₹1,300 per person.
A case was subsequently filed in the Madurai Bench of the High Court, challenging this restriction. The court granted permission for fishermen and their families to use motorized country boats for the festival.
Over the years, fishermen have transitioned from traditional motorized country boats to fiberglass-reinforced plastic motorized boats, which consume less fuel and can carry more than 10 passengers at a time. Despite their functional similarity to traditional motorized boats, the Assistant Director of the Fisheries Department in Rameswaram has denied permission for their use.
Seeking relief, the petitioner has approached the High Court to issue a directive allowing fishermen to travel in fiberglass-reinforced plastic motorized boats, enabling them to fulfill their religious vows and participate in the festival.
A Division Bench of Justices J. Nisha Banu and S. Srimathy heard the petition filed by J. Brinso Raymond of Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram district.
The court has now sought responses from the concerned authorities before making a ruling on the matter.