Milk supply to Cuttack, Bhubaneswar affected as OMFED staff stage protest

Milk supply to the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar was affected on Tuesday as the contractual drivers of OMFED plant at Naraj staged a demonstration protesting detention of a fellow driver by police.

According to sources, a driver of the OMFED Naraj plant was detained by Baranga police after the authorities lodged a complaint against him following recovery of more than 100 liters of milk products from his van.

Soon after the detention of the driver, the other contractual drivers of the plant staged a protest affecting milk supply to various locations of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

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"The driver has been falsely framed in the case. As he has been apprehended by the police, we have staged a protest," said a protesting driver.

"Milk is an essential commodity and the plant supplies milk to SCB Medical College and Hospital and ghee to Puri Srimandir. So suddenly staging a protest is not acceptable. They should raise their demands before concerned officials. We have sent forces to the plant and everything will be brought to control soon," assured Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, Cuttack Collector.

"There is no problem at the plant. A driver and his associate were stealing milk packets a couple of days ago. A FIR was lodged against the driver. Acting on our FIR, the police have arrested him. But, the other drivers have staged a protest this morning demanding his release," said Vijay Amruta Kulange, OMFED MD.

Later in the day, following a discussion with the district and police administrations and the release of the detained driver, the contractual drivers of the OMFED plant at Naraj called off their protest.