Thane/Palghar, Mar 16 (PTI) Hundreds of tribal women staged protests in parts of Thane and Palghar districts of Maharashtra on Monday, demanding the distribution of free sanitary napkins at ration shops and anganwadi centres.
Braving the scorching sun, women marched to tehsil offices with banners and posters, shouting slogans to highlight the health risks faced by the underprivileged due to a lack of menstrual hygiene products.
The agitation follows an appeal made on International Women’s Day by Vasai MLA Sneha Dubey-Pandit, who recently raised the issue in the state assembly.
Protesters demanded that the state government provide at least 12 sanitary napkins per month free of cost to women from poor, tribal, and Katkari communities through ration shops and anganwadi centres.
“In these districts, a large number of women work as manual labourers. Due to extreme poverty, they cannot afford sanitary napkins and are forced to use unclean cloth, leading to serious risks of infectious diseases and uterine-related ailments,” a representative said.
The demonstrators have submitted a formal memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking a dedicated scheme for tribal women holding Antyodaya and priority ration cards. PTI COR ARU
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