Minister Mano Thangaraj on Wednesday categorically denied the allegation that child labourers had been employed in Aavin’s Ambattur dairy.
Addressing the media at Aavin Illam, the Minister said the allegations made by a section of the media were false. “One of our former workers had not been paid wages by the labour contractor, which led to the youngster staging a protest along with some of his friends. There were some children among his friends,” he said.
Mr. Thangaraj said the police and the Collector had conducted inquiries regarding the allegation, and Aavin too had checked its HR register and CCTV camera footage. “We don’t employ child labourers in any of our units,” he said.
He went on to say that the milk major had initiated steps to issue show-cause notices to the media houses which had carried such allegations. “It looks like a planned campaign to tarnish Aavin’s name. We have also apprised the Child Protection Committee about the misuse of children in the protest,” he added.
The milk major had taken steps to ensure contract labourers were being given benefits including provident fund contribution, ESI accounts and transferring of wages into their bank accounts.
Regarding the case of two transportation vehicles in Vellore region having the same registration number, he said that it was Aavin staff who found it and that the RTO and police had been notified about the same. He said that the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation was insisting on transporting vehicles and their drivers have all the requisite licences and certificates.
