Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj on Saturday said that to ensure availability of Aavin milk and milk-based products, eight high tech parlours will be kept open 24x7.
“Right now, there is extra need for milk and milk powder. The initiative is meant for that extra demand. Initially there was some panic buying, especially on Tuesday after it stopped raining. Now things are settling down, but there is still need for making milk available at all times,” he explained.
Parlours in front of dairies at Ambattur, Madhavaram and Sholinganallur; 18th Main Road, Vasantham Colony and Goodness Tower Park at Anna Nagar; Vannandurai at Besant Nagar; C. P. Ramaswamy Road in Mylapore; and near Valasaravakkam Mega Mart, would remain open. This is perhaps the first time that parlours are being kept open 24x7.
Mr. Mano Thangaraj said Aavin has been selling an additional 50,000 litres a day from December 7 to various civic bodies and organisations that are supplying milk in affected areas. Similarly, over 22 tonnes of skimmed milk powder has been sold to these channels to be distributed to the public.
On the need to procure milk from Karnataka’s milk cooperative, he said in times of disaster and need it was common for such organisations to help each other. “There have been times when Aavin has supplied to cooperatives in Kerala and Puducherry,” he pointed out.
Asked about milk packets being found dumped in a water body in Tambaram, the Minister said that the packets were dated December 3 and perhaps could have been bought by some large shop or establishment for sale the next day.
“Not just Aavin packets but even those belonging to other brands were found at the location. We can only assume that the vendor could not store them properly and had disposed them off in such a manner,” he added.
