Chennai: Just when milkmen thought it's time to shut down their business as the demand had plummeted to an all time low in the past few years, the demand for cow and buffalo's milk in gaushalas skyrocketed in just two days, thanks to the controversial remarks of Tamil Nadu Diary minister K.T. Rajenthra Balaji on private milk manufacturers.
Mr Balaji's repeated allegations in the past week that private milk manufacturers mix chemicals in the milk that they sell sent not just ripples across the city and elsewhere in the state, but it also came as a blessing in disguise for the humble neighbourhood milkman.
"I supply milk to eight houses regularly and seldom do occasional consumers come to buy the milk. On Sunday, I was thrilled to see six people waiting outside my home for milk and that is when I came to know the news. On a single day, I got orders from 20 people for daily supply of milk," said Kannan, a milkman, in Tondiarpet in North Chennai.
He added that their family had been dependent on selling milk for the past three generations. "40 years back, only milkmen used to deliver milk. Once technology improved and refrigerators came up, people shifted to milk packets. Even my kids were taught in school that pasteurised milk is healthier than raw milk. But, in the process of pasteurisation, we never know what they mix," he said.
Balakumar, milkman from Nanganallur, also said he has been busy with customers from morning. He said there are over 100 milkmen in Nanganallur and its vicinity and everybody was busy today and they ran out of milk before noon. Usually, they have milk in abundance till late evening.
People say they had been facing issues with packet milk for a long time and the Minister's comment came as an alarm bell to shift to a "healthier" option. M. Rajeswari said she gets a "faint smell" from Aavin milk packet and it gets spoilt quickly. The packets are also soiled most of the time.
When asked about health concerns as the packet milk ensures pasteurisation, people said that boiling and consuming milk provided by milkman has always been in practice and that did not cause any health issues.
Also, they said they are ready to shell out some extra cash for healthy life. Buffalo milk from a gaushala costs Rs 50 per litre as opposed to milk packets that start from Rs 40 per litre.
Some residents also cite environmental reasons for the shift. Venugopalan from Adyar said initially private companies supplied milk in glass bottles and now they give it in packets that contribute to tonnes of plastic waste every day. In some places, people are still sceptical as to where to purchase cow's milk. Milkmen say they would ensure supply of milk throughout the city soon.
