Bulk milk coolers worth Rs 1 cr lying idle at Vellore Aavin unit

VELLORE: Vellore Aavin’s woes never seem to end. Just when officials were heaving a sigh of relief after the duplicate number plate scandal died down, a fresh issue — that of 3 BMCs (bulk milk coolers) with their three generators costing slightly more than Rs 1 crore was gathering dust, sources said.

BMCs are provided by the central government’s Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) at nearly 85 per cent subsidy with the purchaser (Vellore Aavin in this case) having to undertake civil construction to house them. Sources revealed that BMCs which have capacities ranging from 3,000 litres to 10,000 litres can be used for double this quantity if used judiciously.

“With former dairy officials and party men demanding money to fix a BMC in a village as it would lead to increased milk procurement in that area, many society presidents refused to oblige, and hence officials had no alternative other than to shift them to new locations,” sources said.

“Since a change in location meant seeking permission from DIDF and TN Cooperative Milk Producers Federation (Chennai Aavin), officials let the equipment languish in the Vellore dairy premises for nearly one and a half years,” sources added. Also gathering dust are compressors and generators meant for the 3 BMCs.

“This is one example of how officials and elected cooperative board members used Aavin as a cash cow to milk it dry to serve their selfish needs,” said TN Milk Agents and Employees Welfare Association president SA Ponnusamy. “Only a CBI inquiry will bring out the truth.”

Asked about this Vellore Aavin GM (in charge) Sundaravadivelu said, “The BMCs and the related equipment were kept in Vellore dairy for safe keeping as the civil works to house them was not completed. They will be sent to 3 locations including Vallandaramam and Sholingur.”

Oppn defaming milk major: Cong

CHENNAI: Congress Legislature party (CLP) leader K Selvaperunthagai on Saturday accused the opposition BJP and AIADMK of spreading fake news about alleged engagement of minors in the Ambattur unit of Aavin to defame the enterprise and the government.

Claiming that people below age 18 were not being engaged either directly or indirectly by contractors in the milk by products manufacturing unit at the Aavin facility in Ambattur where a few works were being done by contractors and daily wage earners, Selvaperunthagai said the State dairy ministry has clarified that there was no proof of any person below the age of 14 working in the Ambattur facility of Aavin and the police inquiry has proven that it was a totally false charge.

Remarking that it was a malicious campaign run to defame the popular Aavin, the CLP leaders said that the State governor, who behaves like a trumpet of the RSS, State BJP president K Annamalai and AIADMK leaders have kept calm when video of alleged child marriage in Deekshithar families in Kancheepuram happening there was circulated on the social media.

It is evident that the issue raised by the opposition parties against the Aavin issue despite State Dairy Minister Mano Thangaraj’s clarification was undesirable and contrary to truth. Selvaperunthagai also added that he fails to understand why they (Opposition) were raising the issue.