CHENNAI: Aavin milk's delivery to hundreds of houses in the city and its suburbs was delayed on Tuesday due to a dispute between private transporters and labourers.
The dispute erupted on Monday night between the private transporters engaged by Aavin to distribute milk sachets from its dairies and loaders over a hike in labour rates. Aavin has dairies in Madhavaram, Ambattur and Sholinganallur and it has roped in around a hundred private operators to distribute around 10.5 lakh litres of milk to the milk booths. Aavin has around 7 lakh card holders.
Many milk booths in the city did not receive supplies till around 9 am in the morning. Later on Tuesday afternoon, the striking crew members withdrew their protest and returned to work after discussions. Following the delay in milk supply, private producers hiked the rates by Rs 2 to Rs 3. "My children were getting late for school and we had to buy from the nearby shop by paying Rs 3 extra," said M Jennifer, a resident of Nungambakkam.
Irate consumers who had qued up since 5 am were seen arguing with the booth managers on the delay. R Geetha, a resident of Kilpauk, said, "Luckily we had an extra packet from the previous day and we made do with it. The authorities should make alternative arrangements and not let the private operators hold the city to ransom''.
The president of the Tamil Nadu Milk producers welfare association, K A Sengottuvel, said various agencies such as Tamil Nadu Milk Producers Welfare Association, Tamil Nadu Milk Producers Association, Thamizhaga Vivasayeegal Sangam and Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement were staging a protest on February 7 to ask the government to increase procurement price by Rs 5 for cow's milk and Rs 8 for buffalo's milk. "We are giving more to the producers. Because of this increase in our procurement prices it has become necessary to increase our selling price," he said.
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