Chennai: Aavin, the state-owned milk cooperative federation, has informed Madras high court that automatic vending machines (AVMs), with a capacity of 200l each, for retail sale of milk has been installed in Ooty and Kodaikanal on pilot basis for phasing out milk packaged in plastic sachets.The submission was made before a special bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and K Rajasekar designated to hear forest and environment-related cases. According to Aavin, AVM installed at Kodaikanal Hi-Tech Parlour, Poet Thiagarajar Salai, was opened on Aug 16 and about 40l is being sold through it each day, while the one at Uzhavar Santhai in Charing Cross, Ooty, was opened on Aug 17 and is selling 3-6l a day.Recording the submissions, the bench said that steps must be taken to ensure that sachet milk is not sold in and around the place where the AVM is installed to encourage people in the neighbourhood to buy milk from the AVM.
