NEW DELHI, 16 April 2022, (TON): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin urged the Centre to allow the State to ship essential commodities from the Thoothukudi port to Sri Lanka as humanitarian aid to the people, especially Tamils, severely affected by the food crisis.

Recalling his discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue on March 31, the Chief Minister reiterated Tamil Nadu government's commitment to ship foodgrains, vegetables and medicines from the port for the Tamils in northern and eastern parts of Lanka and its capital Colombo as well as those working in the plantations.

MK Stalin said in a letter addressed to Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar "it has now been reported that the Union government has enabled the shipping of food and other essential commodities to Sri Lanka...(hence) I request that this may be facilitated at the earliest in view of the worsening situation in Lanka.”

During his meeting in March, he had apprised the Prime Minister about Tamil Nadu's willingness to provide essential commodities and life-saving medicines to the Lankan Tamils.