After Tasmac, now Aavin to shun plastics in hill stations; deploy vending machines to replace plastic milk sachets

CHENNAI:  After State-run liquor retailer Tasmac, it is now the turn of the milk cooperative, Aavin, to turn to environment-friendly measures in hill stations. The Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (TNCMPFL), which sells milk products under Aavin brand, informed the Madras High Court that it would install automatic vending machines (AVMs) on a pilot basis in Kodaikanal and Udhagamandalam (Ooty) as an alternative to distributing milk in plastic sachets.

The submission was made before the special bench comprising Justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy, which is hearing a batch of cases relating to the implementation of the ban on single-use plastics in hill stations such as Ooty and Kodaikanal. The bench had earlier directed Aavin to explore an alternative to plastic milk sachets for milk distribution.
As directed by the court, Aavin managing director filed a report stating that automatic vending machines would be installed on a pilot basis at Kodaikanal in Dindigul district and Ooty in The Nilgiris district to assess customer response.

The report further stated that Aavin proposes to procure two AVMs from an Uttar Pradesh-based company at a cost of Rs 3.60 lakh per machine. It also added that the necessary permissions for installing the machines have already been obtained.
The AVMs will be installed and commissioned in densely populated areas, and the supply of milk in plastic sachets will be discontinued in the surrounding localities once the machines become operational.
The functioning of the AVMs, public response, and their overall feasibility would be assessed at both locations before a decision is taken on expanding this pilot effort.