tirupati l tuesday l march 10, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Why No job scheme for acid attack victims, SC asks states, UTs The Supreme Court on Monday sought to know why a scheme for rehabilitation of acid attack victims through govt jobs has not been formulated Pay allowance, if jobs can’t be given: SC Stringent punishments for perpetrators The court said if logistical issues arise in providing such employment, the state governments could formulate a policy to pay subsistence allowance to the victims. The court was hearing a plea by Shaheen Malik, an acid attack survivor, seeking appropriate directions to states to implement proper measures for the well-being of acid attack survivors ■ ■ The court granted one final opportunity to states and Union Territories to comply with its Jan 27 order directing strong punishment for perpetrators and effective rehabilitation measures for victims That order proposed, among other things, seizure of assets of those found guilty of carrying out acid attacks to compensate the victims 2-judge Bench headed by cji Surya Kant was hearing the case CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI The BIG 33.1cr 50% 18% 1.6cr Household LPG consumers in India Imports make up Commercial LPG usage constitutes PIPED GAS Restaurants hit While no restriction has been put on piped gas supply as of now, analysts warn some disruption is likely if the war lingers on With commercial cylinders in short supply, Bangalore Hotels Association said restaurants in the city will remain shut from today Piped natural gas LPG SHOCKER PICTURE active connections of total domestic LPG consumption of total LPG sold domestic connections OMCs told to meet household demand first; Several states report shortage R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi Amid fears of an imminent shortage of cooking gas amid import disruptions due to the ongoing Iran-Israel war, the Union petroleum ministry on Monday directed state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) to prioritise the supply of LPG cylinders to domestic consumers over commercial users. The ministry also increased the waiting period for LPG booking from 21 days to 25 days to prevent hoarding and black marketing. “All public sector OMCs shall ensure that LPG so procured is supplied/marketed solely to consumers of domestic LPG only,” the Union petroleum ministry said in an order. In the order dated March 9, the government directed all oil refineries and petrochemical complexes in India to utilise propane and butane streams (C3 and C4 gases) to produce only LPG, and instead of using them for other petrochemical products. Refineries have also been barred from diverting these gases for the manufacture of petrochemical derivatives such as plastics. The move comes at a time when India’s LPG imports have $119 Oil breaches $100-mark for 1st time in 4 years Crude oil prices on Monday crossed the $100/barrel mark for the first time in four years with Brent crude touching an intraday high of $119 before cooling to around $102.1 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate also soared above $119.48 per barrel but fell back closer to $100 | P10 been affected due to supply disruptions in West Asia amid the ongoing conflict in the region. India imports more than 50% of its LPG requirements, with around 80% of the imports coming from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. Last week, the government directed OMCs to ramp up LPG production. With supplies from the Gulf region impacted, the government is now diversifying its import sources. According to a petroleum ministry official, India is already in talks with countries including Australia, Norway and Algeria to secure additional LPG supplies. New Delhi recently signed contracts to import around 2.2 million tonnes per annum of LPG from the US, accounting for nearly 10% of the country’s total annual LPG imports. Supplies under these contracts began in January 2026. Meanwhile, several states including Bihar, Maharashtra and Punjab have reported shortages of LPG and fuel. However, the government has clarified that petrol pumps and gas stations are functioning normally and there is no fuel shortage in the country . The decision to prioritise domestic LPG supply over commercial use has, however, drawn concern from businesses. Several industry bodies have written to the government seeking urgent intervention. The National Restaurant Association of India on Monday warned that any disruption in commercial LPG cylinder supply could lead to widespread closure of restaurants. The Bengaluru Hotels Association also said that many restaurants in the city may not be able to operate from Wednesday due to shortage of commercial LPG. India currently has about 33.08 crore active LPG consumers. The country consumed 28 million metric tonnes of LPG for domestic use between April 2025 and March 2026. Khamenei’s son chosen successor Iran named the hard-line Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his late father as supreme leader, a decision that is likely to annoy the US | P7 Iran ships in India Iran had sought permission to dock ships at Indian ports and approval was granted the next day, Jaishankar said. “We believe that this was the right thing to do,” he said Indian focus on peace, diplomacy, safeguarding national interest: EAM Jayanth j a c o b @ New Delhi Briefing Parliament on the situation in West Asia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said India is in favour of peace and urges a return to dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict. “India is in favour of peace and urges a return to dialogue and diplomacy. We advocate de-escalation, restraint and ensuring the safety of civilians,” he said. In his suo motu address to both houses of Parliament, Jaishankar said, India’s response to the conflict is guided by three core principles—peace and a return to dialogue and diplomacy the well-being and security of , the Indian community in the Gulf, and safeguarding India’s national interests. There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work across the Gulf, including thousands in Iran. The region is key to India’s energy security The Gulf . is also a major trade partner, accounting for $200 billion annually, he said. “The well-being and security of the Indian community in the region is our overriding priority We will . continue to work with the governments of the region towards that end,” he said, adding “our national interest, including energy security and trade flows, will always be paramount.” Jaishankar’s address was met with strong protests from the Opposition demanding a full-fledged debate in both Houses on the situation in West Asia. No-confidence motion against CEC coming PR E E T H A N A IR @ New Delhi IN signs of heightening friction between the Opposition and the Election Commission of India (ECI), several parties are mulling a notice to move a motion seeking ouster of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, sources said on Monday . The issue was discussed at an INDIA bloc meeting chaired by Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, on Monday said a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, who also pointed out that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is currently holding an indefinite dharna against lakhs of names being deleted in the ongoing poll roll revision in the state. “The CEC has degraded the great seat he occupies,” the TMC leader said. Congress sources said they would support the notice and that other INDIA bloc parties are on the same page. The notice has been drafted collectively said the leader. , As per rules, signatures of at least 100 MPs from Lok Sabha and at least 50 MPs from Rajya Sabha are required to move the notice. The CEC can only be removed on grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity . Most parties in Bengal for 1-2 phase of polls, ECI told S U B H E N D U M A I T I @ Kolkata April 26, 1936—March 09, 2026 PanikkaR reshaped modern Indian history K N Panikkar stands alongside the generation that transformed modern Indian history from political narrative to social history; from nationalist teleology to structural analysis, writes Rajan Gurukkal | P6 Almost all political parties in West Bengal on Monday suggested to the Election Commission of India that the upcoming assembly polls in the state be held in one or two phases. The full bench of the ECI met representatives of political parties separately at a private hotel in Kolkata’s New Town as part of its review of the preparations for the polls that are likely in April. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, met representatives of the TMC, BJP, Minister claims CEC asked him to shut up TMC minister Chandrima Bhattacharya alleged the CEC didn’t want to hear their objections. “He told me ‘shut up’ when I wanted to convey grievances on voter deletion CPI(M), Congress and AAP, among others. The ruling Trinamool Congress and CPM expressed concerns about ‘unbearable’ harassments faced by common citizens during SIR hearings and categorising more than 60 lakh voters as ‘under adjudica- tion’ status. The TMC delegation, comprising ministers Firhad Hakim and Chandrima Bhattacharya and Rajeev Kumar (retired DGP), urged the ECI not to conduct the poll without addressing the discrepancies in the voters’ lists. However, the BJP was noncommittal on the issue of SIR but demanded that polls be held in one to three phases and in a peaceful environment. “We sought the active deployment of 400 companies Central forces already present in the state,” they later told reporters. Officials said the excise department was asked to ensure production and distribution of intoxicants do not increase in the run-up to the polls. The RBI was asked to ensure cash is not used to influence voters. Express read Two Asian tuskers found electrocuted Tirupati: Two Asian elephants were found electrocuted near agricultural fields close to the Talakona Reserve Forest in Tirupati district on Monday morning. Forest officials said the sub-adult elephants came into contact with illegal electric fencing connected to a transmission line near Chinthakunta village | P3 Naidu vows water to every R’seema acre hero’s homecoming India opener Sanju Samson waves to fans on his arrival at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Monday, a day after winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Brought into the XI in the second half of the WC, Samson emerged as the Player of the tournament, contributing crucial knocks in last three games | bp deepu | P11 Kurnool: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday distributed new Pattadar Passbooks to farmers at Kothaburju village in Dhone constituency. He said the government aims to provide irrigation water to every acre in Rayalaseema. Land records were corrected transparently before issuing the passbooks | P4 W. Asia crisis rattles Totapuri export market Vannamei shrimp prices tumble amid war E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Tirupati The escalating war situation in West Asia is casting a shadow over the export prospects of Totapuri mangoes from the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, raising serious concerns among farmers and exporters ahead of the upcoming harvest season. Farmers in the erstwhile Chittoor district comprising C h i t t o o r, T i r u p a t i a n d Annamayya districts fear a major price crash as shipping consignments of mango pulp and juice products bound for Gulf countries have reportedly been stalled due to disruptions in international trade routes. According to farmers and exporters, several consignments Rayalaseema mango trade hubs Malacheruvu Mango Market One of the largest mango markets in South India with 2,000-5,000 tonnes per day during peak season Bangarupalyam Mango Market A key hub supplying to pulp factories Puttur Mango Yard - Supplies mangoes to traders from Tamil Nadu Tirupati Mango Market - Attracts traders from Karnataka, Maharashtra, UP, Punjab and MP that were ready for export have either been halted at Indian ports or remain stuck in the middle of the sea amid uncertainty caused by the ongoing Iran-USA conflict in West Asia. As a result, exporters are reluctant to commit to fresh procurement contracts for the upcoming season beginning in April. The combined Chittoor region is one of India’s largest mango-producing belts and is widely known as the “Mango Pulp Capital of India.” Nearly 65-75 percent of mango pulp produced in the Chittoor region is exported to international markets including the Middle East, Europe, the United States of America (USA), JaP4 pan and South Korea.  Chittoor, India’s pulp hub The combined Chittoor region is one of India’s largest mangoproducing belts and is widely known as the “Mango Pulp Capital of India. Nearly 65-75 percent of mango pulp produced in the region is exported to to international markets Stocks stored in Chennai As exports decline, seafood companies are sending shrimp to cold storage facilities in Chennai to preserve the stock. Shrimp are also being stored in the two available cold storage units in the Kota region as exporters wait for situation to improve E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Nellore The ongoing conflict in West Asia has begun to impact the aquaculture sector, particularly the Vannamei shrimp industry, causing concern among farmers and seafood exporters. Due to disruptions in exports caused by the regional conflict, prices of Vannamei shrimp have been declining steadily. Farmers and aqua pond owners are expressing deep concern as the market continues to weaken. Over the past two days alone, the price of Vannamei shrimp has reportedly dropped by `20 to `25 per count, leaving farmers distressed and worried about mounting losses. With uncertainty prevailing over when the conflict in West Asia will end, shrimp farmers are facing a difficult situation. Seafood companies and buyers say exports of shrimp from Andhra Pradesh have slowed significantly due to the international situation. As exports decline, seafood companies are sending shrimp to cold storage facilities in Chennai to preserve the stock. Shrimp are also being stored in the two available cold storage units in the Kota region as exporters wait for market conditions to improve. “Exports have slowed drastically due to the war situation. If the conflict continues, the aqua sector will face serious losses,” said Karthik seafood buyer from the region. Industry sources say that every year India exports nearly one million metric tonnes of shrimp to global markets. Of this, around 800,000 metric tonnes are produced in Andhra P4 Pradesh alone.