MARGAO
Even as mound of sanitary diapers and napkin waste is taking shape at Sonsodo over the payment of bill to a government-authorised firm to lift away the sanitary waste, the Shadow Council has slammed the Margao Municipal Council over the non-functional sanitary pad disposers installed by the Council around three years ago in the city.
The MMC, as a pilot project, had installed sanitary pad disposers at three different locations ie. The Council building toilet, public toilet in Municipal garden and the public toilet at the bus stand with much fanfare, informed SCM activist Lalan Parsekar. Sadly, she said these units are non-functional since the last over one year.
SCM convenor Savio Coutinho pointed out that an agency was roped in by the Council three years ago, through which agency the units were installed, and were maintained for around a year by the agency. “After a period of two years the Council was supposed to bear the costs of the units and the refill system. The sanitary pad disposer system consists of a sanitary pad refill unit which provides fresh sanitary pads, and another unit in which the used sanitary pads are put in and get disposed by incineration,” he added.
SCM activist Dr Roslyn Pereira said these types of units are provided at public places considering the difficulties faced by women during their monthly cycles. “We are in fact amused to notice the lethargic behaviour of the Council, which has no concern for their own female staff; leave aside other female visitors to the Council building, Dr Roslyn said.
