India: Second consignment of essential supplies from Tamil Nadu reaches crisis-hit Sri Lanka

The second ship-borne consignment of essential supplies worth more than Rs 650 millionsent from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka, was received at the island nation on Friday noon. While the Government of India has been at the forefront of helping Sri Lanka by providing financial aid, fuel, the Tamil Nadu Government had also promised to provide support to Sri Lanka, at a time when the island nation is reeling under its worst economic crisis. While the first ship from Chennai was flagged off by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on 18th May, the second ship set sail from the Tuticorin port in Southern Tamil Nadu, on 22nd June.

The first consignment from Tamil Nadu was valued at around Rs 400 millionand comprised of9,500 tons rice, 200 tons milk powder, 30 tons medicines. On Wednesday, nearly 14,712 tons rice, 250 tons milk powder and besides Rs. 119 billionworth of life-saving drugs were shipped.

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In April this year, nearly a month after the economic crisis began adversely impacting Sri Lanka, the Tamil Nadu state Assembly had passed a resolution urging the Indian government to permit aid from Tamil Nadu to the island nation. The Indian Government had agreed to permit the same, via the Indian High Commission in Colombo and India's Ministry of External Affairs.

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As the Indian state that is nearest to Sri Lanka and also as one that shares deep cultural and linguistic ties with the Tamils in the island nation, leaders in Tamil Nadu have always voiced out for the welfare of Lankan Tamils. In recent times, nearly 90 Lankan Tamils, including women, children and elderly fled their home country and reached Indian shores. They have been doing so by taking risky and illegal overnight boat rides across the Palk Strait, a strip of ocean that connects the Northen region of Sri Lanka with Tamil Nadu, in India. As per standard protocol, the individuals are questioned by the authorities, following which they are taken to the Mandapam refugee camp in the region.

Those who have been fleeing to India are members of the Lankan Tamil community, who hail from the northern region of the island nation. As daily wage earners with families to feed, these individuals are worst-hit by the economic crisis as their wages remain stagnant and prices of essentials continue to skyrocket. Under these circumstances, they abandon or sell their modest belongings to make enough cash for an illegal boat ride across the Palk Strait. they undertake the arduous journey in the hope of living as refugees at a camp in Tamil Nadu.

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