The Governments of India and Sri Lanka, along with the government of Tamil Nadu, are striving hard to resolve the fishermen issue amicably on humanitarian grounds, A. Natarajan, Consul-General of India in Jaffna said today.

Talking to media persons at Thanjavur on the sidelines of 14th International Conference on Tamil Prose at Karanthai Tamil Sangham, Natarajan said that the Government of India has constructed 50,000 houses for the war-affected people in Sri Lanka.

Of this 42,000 houses have already been completed in the northern province and occupied. Construction of another 4000 houses for the Tamils of Indian origin living in hilly region and another 4000 houses for the people of eastern province is underway, he added.

A separate section for Indian books has been created in the Jaffna University and Tamil Organisations in Thanjavur have come forward to donate around one lakh books to that section.

Earlier, Kumarasamy Thabiran Adigal of Ayyarappar temple, Tiruvaiyar inaugurated the conference by lighting the kuthuvilakku. Natarajan released four books on the occasion that were received by Dr. Azha. Meenakshisundaram, dean of Government Medical College, Tiruvarur.

The participating dignitaries were taken to the venue from the main road in Karanthai accompanied by nagaswaram, traditional music and chanting of verses from Thirumurai.