Agartala city will get altogether 42 toilets having sanitary napkin vending machines installed in it, said Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) commissioner Siddhartha Shiv Jaiswal on Wednesday.
According to Jaiswal, five existing toilets in Agartala are facilitating the women with napkins through the system and the Agartala Municipal Corporation in its effort to encourage women participation in the workforce has decided to expand the facility.
The vending machines are being procured through GEM (government-E-marketplace), he added.
Addressing a press conference at the Municipal Corporation conference hall in Agartala, Jaiswal said, “In a pilot mode, vending machines were installed in five toilets of Agartala city. As the public response of the initiative has been very encouraging, we are expanding the network of such toilets.”
A total of 42 toilets have been selected for installation of such machines, he said.
Apart from that, Jaiwal informed the media that the AMC authorities were trying to open four-five open gyms in several parts of the city to augment the city’s health and hygiene quotient.
“We are trying to ensure hundred per cent door-to-door garbage collection through SHG groups. In the next few days, garbage collection from shops and markets will also be started. This way, the city will look more hygienic and beautiful,” the AMC commissioner said.
On the issues related to the drainage extension and mosquito nuisance, he said, “The mosquito nuisance is a perennial problem but intensity has increased this year. The primary reason behind this is the stagnant water in drains that are under maintenance or being constructed.”
“The matter will be resolved once all these problems get solved. Otherwise, hundred per cent spraying of mosquito repellant substances will be carried in the AMC areas,” he said.
The AMC commissioner said due to lack of availability of funds, drains could be extended up to all the leftover stretches but the AMC was trying to do it as fast as possible using funds coming under several schemes.
“On an average, every year, 5-7 km of drains is constructed in the city,” he added.
Jaiswal also shared a detailed data of other AMC delivered services including trade license, property tax, etc.