Chennai suburbs hit by milk shortage

Continued water-logging in the outskirts of the city, in areas such as Tambaram, Padappai and Mudichur has resulted in Aavin being unable to get its delivery vehicles to reach the local milk supply agents, according to department sources.

But determined agents tried to ensure a makeshift supply by ferrying sachets on their two wheelers. This shortage is likely to affect around 40,000 consumers. Rajapandi, a resident of Padappai said, “Even after the rain stopped, water-logging continues to be a problem and we are unable to get essentials like milk.”

The total volume of milk sold in the city which normally touches 12.5 lakhs litres came down by more than 1.5 lakh litres because of this issue during rains.

Even when the TN cooperative milk supply federation’s vehicles managed to reach the sales agents, it was at 11 am against the normal time of 4 am. This resulted in the milk being spoilt at either the sales or consumer end.

This was the case in Kolathur, Ambattur, Velachery and Thirumazhisai near the arterial Poonamallee High road.

The Ambattur Dairy which by itself supplies milk through 42 vehicles daily had to down shutters when it was inundated to a depth of nearly 4 feet. Supply came down by 1.5 lakh litres when arrangements were made to ensure supply from dairies in Madhavaram, Sholinganallur, Villipuram and from another government cooperative milk unit in Tiruvallur. The distances and logistics involved ensured that only 2 lakhs litres milk could be supplied as against the required 3.5 lakhs litres daily.

Though the incessant rain ensured that sales were minimal in Aavin parlours, the federation asked parlours to stay open for the customers.