Vending machine sans sanitary napkin for a year

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 15

Though a lot has been talked about the usage of santinary napkins, students of Government Girls Senior Secondary School at Mall road are not able to avail the facility of low-cost sanitary napkins from the dispenser installed on the school premises.

Former DC Ravi Bhagat had installed the low-cost sanitary napkin vending machine at the school in 2016. The machine is now empty as the production of the napkins has been stopped. The initiative was not only meant to promote the usage of such napkins but also to create awareness among girls about personal hygiene and healthy practices during menstruation. The step was also aimed at helping them fight various taboos attached to periods.

Under the arrangement, girls can get a napkin for Rs 2.50 after inserting coins in the vending machine. The administration had assigned the job of making the napkins to the inmates of Nari Niketan.

Mandeep Kaur, Principal, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, said, “It was a cost-effective way to help girls come out of their shyness and educate themselves as well others about periods and usage of napkins. We had been getting napkins regularly but not for the past one year since the production has stopped.”

When contacted, DC Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said, “I will look into the matter and get it operational soon.”