Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote an important letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 March 2026. He has demanded immediate intervention regarding the impact of the ongoing tension in West Asia on the state and the safety of Tamil people living in Gulf countries.
ℹ️: Major attack on 3 commercial ships near Strait of Hormuz, Iran closed important sea route.
Security of Indians and fishermen living in Gulf countries
In his letter, the Chief Minister has mainly talked about ensuring the safety of Indian expatriates working in Gulf countries. In view of the current situation in West Asia, deep concern has also been expressed about the fishermen of Tamil Nadu stranded in tense maritime areas.
The state government has officially requested the Center to track down these fishermen from the affected areas and take necessary steps for their safe return.
LPG gas crisis deepens in Tamil Nadu
The situation in West Asia has had a direct impact on the fuel supply in Tamil Nadu. There is a huge shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the state. Domestic supply from IOC’s Manali facility near Chennai has been halved and distribution of 19 kg commercial cylinders has been temporarily stopped.
The Chennai Hotel and Restaurant Association has warned that many restaurants may be closed in the next day or two due to stock out. Common people are also facing problems in booking domestic gas. The Chief Minister has also expressed concern over the threat to the MSME sector and has demanded additional power supply from the Centre.
Central government’s new gas allocation rule
To mitigate this crisis, on March 11, 2026, the Central Government has changed the rules of gas allocation. Under the new policy, LPG, CNG and piped gas have been given first priority for domestic and essential services.
Apart from this, on March 11, a decline of about 8 percent was recorded in the prices of crude oil and it came down to Rs 8,069 per barrel. The government is trying to overcome this gas shortage being faced by the common people and the commercial sector as soon as possible.