Vending machines installed in civic schools languish with no maintenance
The BMC's aim behind installing the machines was to benefit around 16,102 girls from 165 schools.
Mumbai: Earlier this year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had installed sanitary napkin-vending machines and incinerators/sanitary disposal machines at 165 civic schools in the city in a bid to raise awareness about menstrual health for girl students.
Due to an alleged lack of maintenance, however, a majority of these machines are not in a working condition. The BMC had invested Rs 1.93 crore on the project.
The BMC’s aim behind installing the machines was to benefit around 16,102 girls studying in the 165 schools. It was expected to encourage girls to attend school even during menstruation.
But many schools have complained that no maintenance team visits the schools in order to check and refill these vending machines.
“These are machines which needs proper maintenance on a regular basis. However, because there are less staff or officers in charge to look after this, most of these machines are just lying in the schools for no reason,” said a teacher, on
the condition of anonymity.