Residents of Mumbai faced a shortage of milk on the second day of a truckers’ strike. Thousands of trucks carrying chilled milk were unable to reach the city and remain stranded on national, inter-state, or state highways, causing a major disruption in milk supply, officials reported on Tuesday.
Consequently, many Mumbaikars had to begin their day without their customary morning beverages, such as tea, coffee, or plain milk. Local retailers faced difficulties in delivering the essential nourishment, resulting in delayed deliveries in some areas, often extending beyond 10 a.m.
As per the Mumbai Milk Producers Association (MMPA), drivers have abandoned most trucks transporting chilled milk from cooperatives, farms, and a few corporates in the hinterland of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh since the morning of January 1. These trucks play a crucial role in bringing chilled milk in insulated tankers from districts like Kolhapur, Sangli, Nashik, Satara (Maharashtra), Indore, Dewas (both Madhya Pradesh), or Anand, Banaskantha, Surat, and Mehsana (all Gujarat).
“Mumbai requires approximately 50-60 lakh litres of chilled milk per day, with 60 percent being cow milk and the remaining buffalo milk. Thousands of trucks are currently stuck, some haven’t started their consignments, and many more are experiencing delays along the way,” explained Chandan Hausilasingh Singh, a committee member of MMPA.
Every insulated milk tanker can transport up to 20 tonnes of milk to its destination. Upon arrival, the milk is unloaded into mini-tankers with a capacity ranging from two to three tonnes, facilitating distribution to last-mile retailers.
Buffalo Milk Remains Unaffected:
Although the shortage has impacted chilled milk supplies, the availability of fresh buffalo milk, produced in local farms within the city or on the outskirts, remains unaffected so far. Mumbai consumes more than 400,000 liters of this fresh buffalo milk, known for its comparatively higher cost and creamier texture.
Chandan Singh, the proprietor of the Shree Modern Dairy chain of milk retail in Vasai town, Palghar, pointed out that although most household consumers can cope for a day without milk, the scarcity is anticipated to have a significant impact on major stakeholders such as large hoteliers, restaurants, schools, colleges, canteens in both public and private sector offices, and even street vendors selling tea.
There is an apprehension that if the abandoned milk tankers are left on the roads under the scorching sun for long hours, the post-pasteurization chilled milk stocks, which usually remain unaffected for up to 100 hours (4 days), may spoil, leaving no choice but to discard them entirely.
Apart from the milk shortage, several regions in Maharashtra are grappling with a severe scarcity of petrol and diesel since Monday evening, with certain areas depleting their fuel supplies. This has prompted worries among vehicle owners and consumers, as the availability and prices of vegetables, fruits, food grains, and other essentials could also be impacted.
Extended lines of vehicles are seen at petrol stations as drivers of fuel tankers participate in the protest against the recently enforced Motor Vehicles Act regulations. These rules prescribe severe penalties, including a 10-year imprisonment and a INR 7 lakh fine, for hit-and-run accident cases.
The new legislation has faced strong criticism from notable personalities, such as Nana Patole, the President of Maharashtra Congress, Dr. Jitendra Awhad, the General Secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party, and Kishore Tiwari from Shiv Sena (UBT). Additionally, farmers’ unions and transport organizations have joined in, collectively urging the swift repeal of the law.
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