April 10; In a stunning event that has raised many an
eyebrow the Vadodara civic body has bulldozed four milk stores of Amul, an action
censured by the well-known dairy group which stated the action was conducted without
prior warning and for strange causes.
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which
sells the Amul brand of milk and milk products, revealed the Vadodara Municipal
Corporation (VMC) flattened its four stores without warning yesterday.
It revealed the Gujarat High Court gave a stay on the flattening
of additional nine stores built by the GCMMF in public gardens throughout Vadodara
after obtaining consent from VMC in 2015.
"A VMC committee had passed a resolution and thereafter
permission was granted in 2015 to construct 21 Amul parlours in public gardens
across Vadodara. We surveyed the sites and paid necessary deposits and
constructed parlours at 13 locations," GCMMF Managing Director R S Sodhi stated.
"However, for reasons unknown to Amul, and without any
prior notice or intimation, four parlours were demolished by VMC. This caused a
loss of Rs 40 lakh to milk farmers who own these outlets and also to
consumers," Sodhi furthermore commented.
"Today we moved the High Court against this act of VMC
and it passed an order staying any further demolition," he remarked.
Nonetheless, Vinod Rao, VMC Commissioner, supported the act
of the civic body.
In a speech in Vadodara, he told the Amul parlours were built
without consent.
"Amul, to save its face, has unfortunately made gross
misrepresentation of facts involving criminal breach of trust. No formal
agreement was signed (between VMC and Amul) and many conditions of (space)
allotment were violated," he revealed.
"They agreed to remove structures on their own to avoid
confrontation with VMC. All four shops were vacated by franchisees on their own
under instructions from Amul officials and not VMC officials," Rao stated.
"It is unfortunate that a prestigious brand like Amul
has stooped so low as to grossly violate rules and regulations and then defend
itself by making allegations against VMC," the civic commissioner asserted.
The demolished parlours were situated in Alkapuri, Badamadi
Baug, Khanderao Market as well as Railway Station expanse.
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