For second day, Vellore Aavin supplies milk after 10 am

VELLORE: For the second consecutive day, milk agents were forced to bring their vehicles and load the milk tubs as the new workers brought in for the job gave up and left after loading around 10 vehicles on Friday morning.

This change in ‘system’ has happened despite an assurance by Vellore Aavin GM Ravi Kumar on Thursday that the situation would improve from Friday.

It may be recalled that following workers failing to turn up on Thursday Vellore residents and those staying in suburbs and nearby towns did not get their milk in the morning. A week ago also, a similar problem was experienced and rectified later.

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

However, Ravi Kumar said, “around 40 contract staff stopped working suddenly without prior intimation resulting in all arrangements going haywire. They seem to be doing this wantonly as earlier they would issue notice about their absence in advance and officials use to make alternative arrangements.”

Asked if disciplinary action would be initiated against the contract staff, he said, “Yes, we can, but the priority is to get the milk off the campus to 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 sudden absence of the contract staff.”

Association vice president VM Sankaran, who is based in Vellore, said, “During such 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 contacted, Chennai Aavin MD Dr Subbaiyan said, he had “not heard anything about problems in the Vellore dairy” and promised to “look into the issue at the earliest.”

Meanwhile, around 50 milk agents, who met the GM, were assured that such delays would not occur in the future. The GM also told them that for unknown reasons contract staff were absenting themselves. “However, evening milk supply arrived on time, loads were yet to be sent to out station areas,” Sankaran said.