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Chandigarh: Sanitary napkin dispensers lie defunct at most UT colleges
Preeti, a BSc biotech student, and Komal, a BA student, said neither of the machines is in a working condition
At a time when Panjab University is mulling menstrual leave for its students, city colleges continue to lack basic facilities like sanitary pad dispensing machines.
Two such vending machines, students of the Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11, said were installed on the campus in the lead-up to the recent National Assessment and Accreditation Council’s (NAAC) visit.
Preeti, a BSc biotech student, and Komal, a BA student, said neither of the machines is in a working condition.
Post Graduate Government College for Girls Sector 11 fares slightly better, with sanitary napkin machines being installed in every washroom. Tanya, who is pursuing BA at the college, however, said the machines hardly work.
DAV College, Sector 10, also has a few vending machines that were recently, but as per Bhupinder Kaur and Balvinder, both students of the college, the machines mostly remain out of stock.
Post Graduate Government College, Sector 46, had one sanitary napkin vending machine in the girls common room. The college pharmacy, however, offers free pads to the students.
In Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College (GGDSD) College, Sector 32, sanitary napkin vending machines are available only in three washrooms, which the students say is not adequate.
College students ask for menstrual leave
College students, meanwhile, also voiced the need for menstrual leave along the lines of the proposal that the Panjab University Campus Student Council has taken to the PU authorities.
Rakhi and Muskan, both pursuing BA in PGGC, Sector 46, said menstrual leave would be a welcome addition. They noted that their student body president had promised to work towards it before the 2023 campus elections, but added that nothing has been done.
Ananya Abrol, pursuing BA from GGDSD College, Sector 32, said the leaves would make a real difference for those dealing with conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD). ”The absence of proper hygienic facilities in the college make such leaves even more important,” she added.
Parneet Kaur, pursuing BA psychology honours from GGDSD College, Sector 32, said normalising periods should not mean that students should be expected to endure the pain.
Addressing the issue, PGGC, Sector 46, principal Abha Sudarshan, said that sensible girls keep extra sanctuary napkins with them. She added that extra pads are also available in the college and if any students face discomfort, they can also take leave on medical grounds.
GGDSD College Sector 32, principal Ajay Sharma, meanwhile, weighed in on the topic of menstrual leave, saying students have to ensure 75% attendance and menstrual leave can be adjusted within that ambit.
While PU also does not have working sanitary napkin dispensers for all departments, an official said such machines usually offer the cheapest and most basic sanitary napkins. The official noted that the students usually have a certain preference that cannot be met with these machines as they do now have the provision for a varied stock. Students, however, can visit the varsity’s health centre to get sanitary napkins free of cost.
