Tiruvannamalai
Disclosing this to DT Next, he said though the former Vellore/Tiruvannamalai milk union was bifurcated two months ago, it would take at least a year to set up a new dairy as Tiruvannamalai milk union chairman Agri SS Krishnamurty and Dairy Minister Thiru K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji have to be consulted on the location of the proposed dairy.
Though Tiruvannamalai Collector KS Kandasamy, who was initially approached for land within the collector’s office premises to set up the milk union’s administrative office, Kamaraj said, “Presently, we have instructed staff to use the Venigkkal chilling centre’s office and concentrate on improving milk marketing.”
With bifurcation, the new union which has a daily procurement of slightly more than 3 lakh litres milk will have to find new avenues to offload milk arrivals. Earlier, it was the Vellore union which was supplying milk to Chennai.
However, right from its inception, the fledgling union faced problems as its general manager was transferred within a month of his taking charge.
While no official is willing to comment on the reason for the move, Vellore GM PM Ganesa now has additional charge of the Tiruvannamalai union,
Also, the cooperative department plans to conduct elections for the post of the union chairman within a month.
This follows a section of milk farmers moving the court against Agri Krishnamurthy being nominated as chairman, which they said was contrary to rules. Navaneethan, a milk farmer from Kalasapakkam, said, “We hope the bifurcation will ensure timely payment of farmers dues and also increase milk offtake specially during the flush season as otherwise the entire exercise will be a total waste.”
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