Women passengers waiting at the Kamarajar Bus Stand here need not use
public toilets with inadequate facilities any more, for the Dindigul
Corporation has installed two toilets with all facilities to meet their
entire needs, especially related to menstrual hygiene.

Inaugurating
the ‘Sunidhi toilets’ here on Wednesday, Collector T.G. Vinay said that
the existing toilets at the bus stand and along highways lacked
women-friendly facilities. The new toilets would also protect their
privacy with dignity.

The toilets were installed under Swachh
Bharat Mission (Urban) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Ten
toilets had been sanctioned as a pilot project – seven for Dindigul and
three for Madurai Corporations. The low-cost prefabricated structure
would have a western toilet, Indian toilet, wash basin, sanitary napkin
vending machine, napkin incinerator, mirror and soap. The Corporation
would maintain them.

Two toilets had been installed at the east
and west end of the bus stand. More such facilities would come up near
Amma Canteen at flower market, Siluvathur tank area, near Mochaikottai
Vinayagar Temple, Mettupatti church area and 108 Vinayagar Temple campus
near Gopalasamudram tank. Based on successthe model would be replicated
in other areas, the Collector added.

Technical staff said the
superstructure, made of cost-effective ferro-cement technology, could be
installed in three to four hours. The slabs were fabricated using
moulds and drilled together and brought to the location for
installation. Fixing toilets, other equipment, basin and plumbing work
were done on the spot. Top priority was given for hand washing as it
could reduce 45% of sanitation- related diseases. The cost of each
toilet was Rs. 75,000.

If one inserted a Rs. 5 coin, the sanitary
napkin vending machine would dispense one. Around 30 napkins had been
kept in the machine. The incinerator would reduce the used napkin into
five grams of ash.

The machine used minimal electricity and the smoke would pass through a chimney.