Sanitary napkin dispensers running empty in zonal offices

A cursory check of the dispensers at Amma Maaligai Annexe building, right behind the city corporation’s headquarters, the Ripon Building, revealed the boxes were dumped with plastic bottles. The civic body had installed a vending machine and incinerator each at all the zonal offices. 

In addition, two more were set up at the Amma Maaligai toilets around three months ago. According to the plan, users would get a napkin by inserting a five-rupee coin, and dispose of the used napkin in the incinerator.  

However, the two toilets in the Amma Maaligai are yet to get the dispensers, while the existing one are not maintained properly. “The dispensers were simply installed there; they have never worked. 

Sanitary napkins were never found in any of the boxes,” said Shanthi S (name changed), a Corporation staff who works in the building, ridiculing the initiative that failed to attain any result. 

Assuring that the issue would be looked into, Madhusudhan Reddy, Deputy Commissioner (Health), Chennai Corporation, said, “It is placed in all zonal offices. However, if the ones at the Amma Maaligai building are not in use, we will ensure that necessary action will be taken to rectify it. Also, if more boxes need to be provided, that will be done too.”  

Of the five floors in the building, the boxes have been installed only from the third floor upwards. 

“We are planning to install the dispensaries in the toilets on the first two floors as well. However, as they are all in the same building, it will not be too difficult for the women on those two floors to get the napkins from the other toilets,” added the deputy commissioner.