The Madras High Court Monday directed the Commandant of the Indian Coast Guard or any other competent authority to be present on September 19 to explain the possibilities of alerting Indian fishermen from crossing the international maritime border, particularly that of Sri Lanka. The officer shall explain as to whether there could be any Navy or Coast Guard ship that can provide signal for a two-way communication with Indian fishing boats through transponders, the court said.

"The additional director of state fisheries department is directed to submit a detailed technical know-how as to how the fishing boat transponders and towers operate. Besides, a report as to whether fishermen of Nagapattinam to Rameswaram regions can be provided transponders and VHF handsets," a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad said.