This is an archive article published on April 6, 2020
Bengal: Stores running out of stock, online services hit, SFI cushions sanitary pad scarcity
According to SFI members, they had started distributing sanitary napkins from March 25 in almost every district of the state. At least 5,000 women have bought sanitary napkins from them, they said.
People queue up for food items at Beliaghata, Sunday. (Photo: Partha Paul)
When Jadavpur resident Moumita Chakraborty, 32, failed to buy sanitary napkins even after multiple visits to several medicine shops, she was in a fix. Her woes doubled as the regular online home delivery services, which stopped with the imposition of the nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, were yet to resume.
It was then that she came across a Facebook post, put up by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the students’ wing of CPM, that in Bengali asked women to contact them “without any hesitation”. Chakraborty immediately called up on one of the two numbers provided on the post, and within 12 hours she got sanitary pads delivered at her doorstep.
According to SFI members, they had started distributing sanitary napkins from March 25 in almost every district of the state. At least 5,000 women have bought sanitary napkins from them, they said.
Rituparna Mitra, SFI’s Central Committee member, said their main focus was on women who belonged to underprivileged background or rural areas. “There are more shops available in cities, and urban people do not see menstruation and sanitary napkins as taboos.”
However, she added that their services were available for all cross-sections of the society as the lockdown had affected everyone.
According to Mitra, the SFI started its campaign in 2016, but earlier, the members used to conduct awareness drives only.
“But now with the lockdown in place, we realised that it will be difficult for women to venture out of their houses to buy sanitary napkins. So, we started the initiative of distributing pads across the state through social networking sites. Thousands of women have sought help from us and we have reached out to them successfully.”
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Another SFI leader and South 24 Parganas district secretary, Tanusree Mondol, said: “We accept money from those who can afford, to the rest we deliver for free. We distribute sanitary pads as per demand and choice of women callers.”
According to Mondol, the group keeps in touch with several distributors who supply the products at wholesale rate.
“After seeing our advertisement, many distributors got in touch with us and expressed eagerness to supply sanitary napkins. We procure the products from these distributors and deliver them to different parts of the state.”
According to SFI, a special team has been set up in every district for distribution. Several male members of SFI are also associated with the team and deliver sanitary napkins at people’s doorstep.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
People queue up for food items at Beliaghata, Sunday. (Photo: Partha Paul)
