Residents fume as Vellore Aavin supplies milk at 10 am

VELLORE: Aavin’s Vellore dairy witnessed the incongruous spectacle of milk agents bringing their own vehicles and loading them with milk following the staff employed by the milk major, on contract basis, failing to turn up, on Thursday.

It may be recalled that some days ago, a similar problem was witnessed and was rectified later.

Usually milk trucks leave the dairy around 3 am on different routes and offload tubs containing milk sachets to agents, who then deliver it to houses and also opt for local sales.

However, Vellore Aavin GM Ravi said “Around 40 contract staff stopped suddenly without any prior intimation resulting in all arrangements going haywire. They seem to be doing this wantonly as earlier they would issue notice of their absence in advance allowing us to arrange for alternative measures.”

Asked if disciplinary action could be initiated for their failure to abide by their contract, he said “Yes, we can, but the priority is to first get the milk off the campus to that supply for the afternoon lot will be readied.”

TN Milk Agents and Employees Welfare Association president SA Ponnusamy said “Milk supply to various areas, including Ranipet, Arcot, Wallajahpet and Ambur was affected by the behavior of the contract staff.”

Association vice president VM Sankaran who is based in Vellore said “During emergencies, we are unable to contact officials as all their phones are switched off. We now wonder if Aavin will supply the afternoon load by 1.30 pm as we received supply only around 4 pm on Wednesday.”

When this reporter contacted Chennai Aavin MD Dr Subbaiyan on this issue, he said that he had “not heard anything about problems in the Vellore dairy” and promised to “look into it at the earliest.”