50 villagers taken ill due to 'food poisoning'

"Most of the hotels are closed. Even in the few that are open, we are not getting proper food. This situation is affecting families as well. Therefore, we request the Central Government to intervene in this matter and take strong action to ensure the supply of LPG gas," Muraleedharan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The ongoing dispute between the management of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and its sole recognised union, Bhartiya Khadya Nigam Karamchari Sangh (BKNKS), was taken up for conciliation on Thursday before the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) in New Delhi.

In a major boost to India's agricultural exports, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry facilitated the first export consignment of 25 metric tonnes of GI-tagged Joha rice from Assam to the United Kingdom and Italy on March 12, 2026, in collaboration with the Assam Agriculture Department.

The arrests followed a police raid on March 11, after authorities received reliable information about the use of harmful ingredients in violation of food safety regulations. The individuals were operating under the names "SEVEN COOKS" and "Arjun Enterprises".

According to a post by BRS on 'X', KTR warned that the shortage is severely affecting hotels, eateries, hostels and small food businesses. The letter cautioned that thousands of establishments could be forced to shut down, while lakhs of workers and students may face serious hardship if the LPG supply is not restored immediately.