Chennai Floods: Union minister thanks companies for sending packaged food, water

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday reviewed the situation of processed food articles and bottled water supplies being contributed by manufacturers for the flood-affected people of Chennai.

According to an official statement released by the Union Food Processing Industry Ministry, the minister, in her appeal to processed food manufacturers, said it was time to make exemplary contribution for the people of Chennai, who have been patronising food brands and products manufactured by the industry.

She along with the Cente and the Tamil Nadu government, appealed to the industry to "also ensure that there is no shortage of milk, packaged food articles and bottled water for the people of Chennai".

The ministry is currently coordinating with all food processing companies to supply packaged milk and food, and bottled water to the flood-affected people in Chennai.

According to the ministry statement, Nestle India has supplied 10 Metric Tonne (MT) of noodles, 5,000 litres of tetra-packed milk and 50,000 pouches of coffee. An additional 25-30 MT of noodles, about 8 MT of the firm's chocolate covered wafers and 800 kg of company-manufactured biscuits are also being supplied.

ITC, meanwhile, has supplied six truckloads of 3,163 boxes of biscuits, said the statement, adding that MTR has supplied 14,128 ready-to-eat food packets, with another 35,000 ready-to-eat food packets to be delivered by Monday.

Britannia has supplied three truckload of 345 boxes of biscuits on Sunday, and another two truckloads of food items. They have also been requested to supply additional quantity of milk produce and some bread.

Coca Cola India has supplied 50,000 one-litre water bottles, while Pepisco has pledged 12,000 such bottles, and was arranging transport of the material on Monday, said the statement from the ministry.

Parle is also arranging to send three truckload of biscuits it manufactures.

Several people from the Tamil film industry are already doing their bit to alleviate the suffering of the flood-affected in Chennai.