Milma to Supply Ghee to Sabarimala Again; 10,000 Litres Ordered, Ghee to Be Delivered to Sannidhanam in Milma Vehicles
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Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board has decided to procure ghee for Sabarimala from Milma, with the dairy cooperative set to deliver the first 5,000 litres on Thursday. The decision follows clearance from the Vigilance Department and an agreement between Milma and the Board.
In view of the previous case involving the alleged diversion of Sabarimala-bound Milma ghee and its replacement with substandard ghee, the supply will be transported directly to Sannidhanam in Milma's own vehicles.
The Board had initially excluded Milma from the tender process and invited bids from other suppliers. However, the only bidder was a Tamil Nadu-based contractor who was allegedly involved in the ghee-related irregularities. The Board subsequently decided not to proceed with the tender. As no other bidders came forward in the next tender process, it decided to approach Milma again.
The Devaswom Board had requested an urgent supply of 10,000 litres of ghee, of which 5,000 litres will be delivered initially. The supply will undergo strict quality checks, including Food Safety inspections, before being handed over to the Board.
The Board will assess whether the ghee brought by pilgrims is sufficient to meet the requirements before entering into a further supply agreement.
Milma has quoted Rs 660 per litre for the supply of ghee to the Devaswom Board.