Chennai: Private dairies operating in Tamilnadu today requested the state government to allow them to sell milk for two hours during the four-day complete lockdown which would come into effect from tomorrow.
Aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, the government of Tamilnadu on Friday announced complete lockdown for four days in five districts– Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and three days in Salem and Tiruppur from Sunday.
Major private diaries operating in the state- Thirumala, Jersey, Heritage and Dodla- requested the government to grant permission to allow retail shops to remain open ‘for sale of milk for two hours during the complete lockdown’.
Though the dairy companies can supply the milk to shops, they would not be available to public as the shops would be closed due to complete lockdown, the companies said in a press release.
“If dairy companies are not able to sell they would not be able to procure milk which would have an impact on farmers who are dependent on sourcing…,” they said.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Friday while announcing the complete lockdown said, “the lockdown will be fully implemented in the Corporation areas of Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai from 6 am on 26 April till 9 pm on 29 April.”
Salem and Tirupur Corporation zones will see similar complete lockdown between Sunday 6 am and Tuesday 9 pm, he had said.
The government has clarified that supply of AAVIN milk run by the Tamilnadu Co-operative Milk Producers’ Federation Ltd would be available to public during the lockdown.