Aavin suspends five Vellore officials over 2.5 lakh litres of missing milk

On March 20, Vellore Aavin General Manager Konthandaraman sent a report to the Chennai office regarding the mismanagement of 2.5 lakh litres of milk in the cooperative society. Following this, the Aavin MD P Kamaraj ordered the money for missing milk to be deducted from salaries of the concerned staff. He also asked for an explanation from the then GM SK Murali Prasad and chairman Velazhagan. According to the sources, the duo informed the senior officials that the milk ‘evaporated’ due to the heat.

Concerned over the issue plaguing the cooperative society, the staff union petitioned MD Kamaraj to take further action. He then visited the Vellore office and ordered the suspension of five officials and a departmental inquiry on the matter.

It may be recalled that KS Murali Prasad, former General Manager (in-charge) of Vellore and Tiruvannamalai Districts Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, was suspended after DVAC seized unaccounted cash to the tune of Rs 11 lakh from his office and official car last year on the eve of Deepavali. Sources also revealed that Murali Prasad is now trying to get his job back, at least in Tiruvannamalai.

In a similar issue, officials are contemplating action against Krishnagiri dairy staff who gave milk worth Rs 1.5 crore to a dairy company on credit, contrary to the cooperative department rules. This has delayed the milk farmers getting their dues. They are usually paid once in ten days.

Officials became aware that something was wrong when the cheques issued by a Kallakurichi based private dairy bounced. A visit to Kallakurichi by officials revealed that there was no such dairy firm at the given address.