COVID-19 lockdown woes: Milma’s milk yet to reach anganwadi children in Kerala

KOCHI: When the state issued an order directing Milma to distribute its excess milk to anganwadi students besides pregnant and lactating mothers, the decision was hailed as a welcome one. However, since then, only those in and around Kannur district have been able to benefit from the order. The reason? Milma’s facilities in other districts don’t have the machinery to manufacture flavoured milk in tetra packs.

“Such a facility was started in Kannur on a pilot basis,” said Maya Krishnan, programme officer, Ernakulam district.

“As part of the scheme, we had been asked to collect data of the beneficiaries and submit it to Milma officials. However, Milma doesn’t have enough processed milk to distribute in southern districts, so the scheme is yet to be implemented in the anganwadis down south,” she said.

However, according to PA Balan Master, chairman, Milma, the company had started distributing milk right after the order was issued. “We had excess milk during the early period of lockdown. And to stop farmers from pouring milk into drains, the government issued such an order. However, soon after, the crisis of plenty turned into a crisis of shortage and we had to procure milk from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, especially for the southern districts,” he said.

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But there will be no halt in the distribution of milk to the anganwadis, he added. “It has been decided to distribute normal milk packets in districts where Milma doesn’t have a facility to produce milk in tetra packs,” he said.

However, ICDS officials point out the impracticality of the decision and said, “Such a decision is applicable only when the schools are in session.” According to the programme officer, though Milma is ready to distribute the normal milk packets, it is not feasible. “We are ready to procure the milk in tetra packs since they have a shelf life of around 90 days.

Normal milk packets need to be used on the very same day if refrigeration is not available,” she said. “As per the scheme, each child was to be provided 180 ml every day. Going around every household, which lies scattered, distributing milk packets daily is impractical,” she said.

“We had even put forth a proposal according to which Milma could procure the flavoured milk in tetra packs from Karnataka or Tamil Nadu. The Integrated Child Development Services is ready to buy these from Milma. But the company said it is impractical and there are a lot of legalities involved,” she said.