New Delhi29 minutes ago
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The Supreme Court has directed the Central Government to provide free sanitary pads to girls from classes 6 to 12 in all government and non-government schools.
The Supreme Court has directed the Central Government to provide free sanitary pads to girls from classes 6 to 12 in all government and non-government schools. Arrangements for disposal of pads should also be made in schools. On Monday, the court also talked about making a national policy for menstrual hygiene in 4 weeks.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala also sought information from the states and union territories regarding availability of girls’ toilets in schools and supply of sanitary pads. Along with this, states and union territories have also been asked to give details of the expenditure incurred for sanitary pads and sanitary pad vending machines.
In fact, Advocate Varinder Kumar Sharma had expressed concern over the health safety of girls by filing a petition in the Supreme Court. It was told in the petition that many girls drop out of school due to menstrual problems. Because, their family does not have money to buy pads and going to school in those days using cloth becomes a problem.
There is no free pad facility for girls in schools also. This is affecting their studies. Not only this, there is no facility to dispose of used pads in schools, because of this also girls are not able to go to school during periods.
Center said – it is not ours, it is the responsibility of the states
During the court hearing, ASG Aishwarya Bhati, on behalf of the Centre, told that it is dedicated to improving health and hygiene during periods for girls. But the responsibility of providing health services rests with the state governments.
