CHENNAI: To facilitate civil and engineering works at the production area of Ambattur dairy, the Aavin has partially shut the plant, reducing daily output from 4.5 to 3 lakh litres. According to an official statement, the maintenance work will last for 20 days starting from Monday.
According to official data, Chennai’s daily milk demand is 14.5 lakh litres of which 30 to 35% is supplied through milk cards. “The milk produced at Ambattur is distributed to the city’s western parts. The required milk will be handed over to wholesale dealers as usual during the early morning, and milk supply will continue uninterrupted regardless of the plant’s maintenance,” added the official.
Meanwhile, the state government has also approved Aavin’s proposal to repair the effluent treatment plants and other equipment at the Ambattur dairy as mandated by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). Recently, the TNPCB directed Aavin to reduce milk handling at the Ambattur dairy by 1.5 lakh litres as the dairy was expanded a decade ago allegedly without obtaining statutory approvals.
The TNPCB’s action followed a case filed with the National Green Tribunal accusing Aavin of violating mandatory norms in treating effluent and plastics. Against this backdrop, officials from the TNPCB inspected the Ambattur plants in recent years and found that the treatment plants were dysfunctional and that the carbon filter and sludge drying beds were also damaged. “The work to repair the effluent treatment plants and other equipment will commence shortly and may take about three months. This is unrelated to the current flooring works in the production area,” an official explained.
