The Madras High Court on Thursday granted time till Monday for the State government to come up with a mechanism for distributing sanitary napkins to girls who are not able to access vending machines due to the closure of schools during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Justices M.M. Sundresh and R. Hemalatha took serious note of the issue during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate R. Sudha. Her counsel Vasudha Thiagarajan said napkins were highly necessary for young girls to maintain hygiene.
Since most government schools have remained shut since March 17, there is no way the poor girls are able to access the napkins, provided free in schools. Their parents were not in a position to spend money on napkins, the petitioner pointed out.
When she added that schoolchildren were missing the nutritious meal provided at schools, the judges directed a Special Government Pleader to find out the feasibility of providing eggs and vitamin C and D tablets or supplements to students.
Though the Social Welfare Secretary had already filed a counter affidavit stating that the supply of eggs on a daily basis was not found feasible and the government had decided to give dry rations such as rice and dal in schools, the judges said that something more nutritious should also be provided.
