Vellore Aavin agents miffed as contract staff extend holiday

VELLORE: Milk agents attached to the Vellore Aavin Dairy were left fuming as the contract staff failed to turn up after Deepavali. It resulted in morning load, which should have left the dairy around 3 am, leaving only around 10 am on Wednesday.

TN Milk Agents and Employees Welfare Association president SA Ponnusamy told DT Next that “it was sheer carelessness on the part of Vellore Aavin officials not to take into consideration that contract staff might go on extended leave after Deepavali.”

Association vice president VM Sankaran said, “All agents were stuck in the dairy as there was no contract workers to load milk tubs into the mini vans for delivery. Officials were also absent and we were unable to contact them last night.”

Such delays are now chronic in the Vellore dairy. On August 27, delivery of sachet milk to local consumers which amounts to 75,000 litres daily was affected due to a similar reason. Then on September 2, supply was again delayed due to contract workers suddenly going on leave.

Supply hit

Supply to neighbouring towns, including Arcot, Ranipet, Wallajahpet and Ambur was disrupted due to their absence.

“On Wednesday, many milk trucks continued to be inside the dairy as agents felt there was no use in delivering milk after 10 am and so they preferred to remain inside for the afternoon load,” Sankaran added.

As usual, the agents themselves were forced to load the tubs on to the vans due to absence of either officials or contract staff.

When contacted, Aavin Vellore GM Ravi Kumar said, “the issue was due to contract workers not arriving for work citing Deepavali nombu. The issue has been sorted out and we expect no issues with the afternoon supply.”

The question now on everybody’s minds is that why alternate arrangements were not in place despite knowing the proclivity of contract workers to extend Deepavali holiday.