Why should not stop selling milk in plastic packets, HC asks govt

The Madras High Court on Friday asked the Tamil Nadu government to explain why Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited should not stop selling milk in plastic packets and instead use glass bottles or paper cartons. The corporation sells milk under the brand ‘Aavin’.

The question was asked to the Additional Advocate General (AAG) by Justices S Vaidyanathan and PT Asha while hearing the revision petition filed by plastic manufacturers against the ban of certain plastic products by the State government.

The AAG said, the government was committed to eradicating all harmful products and that if plastic milk packets were found to be harmful, then they would certainly be replaced and sold in glass bottles as it was done years ago. 

He, then, agreed to take up the issue to the knowledge of the government and sought time to come up with a decision, while Justice Asha pointed out Amul and a few other brands sell milk in paper cartons. 

The AAG said that the officials had recently raided over 22,000 shops and seized 5,000 kgs of banned plastic from around 8,000 shops after collecting Rs 28 lakh towards fine.

Responding to it, Justice Vaidyanathan said that the officials must also keep a check on the quality of packaged drinking water sold in bottles and bubble top cans and asked the AAG to get instructions on this aspect too before the next hearing.