₹1.63 crore allotted to create retiring rooms for women students in govt. colleges, High Court told

Tamil Nadu government allocates ₹1.63 crore for women's retiring rooms in colleges, ensuring menstrual hygiene and medical aid.

The Tamil Nadu government has informed the Madras High Court of having issued an order on October 30 allotting ₹1.63 crore to create retiring rooms for the benefit of women students in 171 government arts and science colleges as well as the colleges of education.

Appearing before the second Division Bench of Justices D. Krishnakumar and P.B. Balaji, Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran said the retiring rooms could be used by the students if they feel discomfort during their menstrual period and also during medical emergencies.

The submissions were made during the hearing of a suo motu contempt of court petition taken up by the Bench in September this year for reported non compliance of a 2016 order to install sanitary napkin vending machines in all government high and higher secondary schools in the State.

When the judges wanted to know the steps taken with respect to college students too, the AAG said the Director of Collegiate Education (DCE) had written to the government on August 16, 2024 seeking allotment of ₹8.55 crore for the creation of retiring rooms in the 171 colleges.

The DCE had sought ₹1.25 lakh per college for purchasing four beds, mattresses, pillows, window screens and mirrors; ₹20,000 per college for purchasing dining tables and chairs; ₹5,000 per college for first aid boxes and ₹3.5 lakh per college for painting the room, performing civil works and buying water purifiers.

After considering the request, the government allotted ₹50,000 per college for purchasing four recliner chairs, window screens and mirrors; ₹20,000 for purchasing dining tables and chairs; ₹500 for purchasing first aid boxes and ₹25,000 per college for painting the room and carrying out civil works.

The government has also instructed the college principals to identify suitable rooms within their campus for being assigned as retiring rooms, appoint a woman faculty member to be in-charge of the retiring room in their colleges and ensure availability of sanitary napkins in those rooms.