Milk workers
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 18 2012: Insisting that the present Board of Directors of Manipur Milk Producers' Cooperative Union be overhauled and replaced with new incumbents, the union has threatened that it would cease milk distribution service in case the demand is not considered in a positive manner at the earliest.

According to the Union's former chairman Brojen Sinam term of office for the Board of Directors is for a three year period, contrary to which Registrar of Cooperative Societies issued an order extending the present term of office for two more years.

While noting that extension of the office term was effected with the aim to facilitate holding of elections to a new board of directors which continues to be overlooked by the present incumbents, he also alleged that Board has failed to justify its extended existence as no significant achievement could be made with regard to implementation of the Intensive Dairy Development Programme.

It is said that the Programmed with a total project (2007) outlay of Rs 10.23 crores, was envisioned to initiate necessary measures for enhancing the milk production volume in the State contrary to which the milk procurement level remains at only about 3500 litres per day.

Even though a general body meeting of the Union was convened on October 11 this year on the agenda of amending the bye-laws, the Board of Directors failed to produce the audited statement of accounts for the 2007-08 and 2010-11 periods, brojen explained while opining that failure of furnish details of the audited statement confirms apprehension on mismanagement by the Board.

While claiming that documents obtained from the office of Registrar of Cooperative Societies clearly cited financial irregularities amounting to nearly Rs 2 crores, by the Board of Directors in between 2007-2011, he contended that the present Managing Director (Dairy Engineer) in collusion with the Board of Directors continues to abuse administrative procedures and obligations thereby crippling the milk production and distribution systems.

Expressing apprehension of department concerned colluding with the Board of Directors to bleach the Union as well as general public as a number of formal complaints are yet to evoke any positive move from the Government, Brojen maintained that future negligence of the issue would compel the Union to undertake serious course of action.

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