Call for feeding rooms in Vellore government offices grows louder
VELLORE: The district administration buildings, including the collectorate and police offices of Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur, Vellore, and Ranipet in North Arcot lack breastfeeding rooms. According to sources, Vellore collectorate and district police office have received at least 20 complaints during public grievance meetings about the issue and no action has been taken yet.
Recently, a woman who visited the Vellore district police office faced trouble breastfeeding her newborn. She complained that there was not even a private room to nurse her crying baby. She said, “I came here with my children to address a personal issue. I could not find a feeding room in the building and ended up using a room with no privacy. It made me feel uncomfortable. The public expects such facilities, at least in government buildings. I hope the officials will understand our concern and set up a feeding room.”
Women, along with their newborns, attend the Monday and Wednesday grievance sessions in all districts. A source said, “The Vellore collectorate used to have a feeding room a few years back but it was closed later saying the facility is rarely used.”
Vellore Collector P Kumaravel Pandian and Superintendent of Police N Manivannan told TNIE, “We are aware of the issue and will take prompt action to establish a breastfeeding room in all the buildings.”
Meanwhile, Ranipet police have made arrangements to set up a feeding room in their office.
A complainant from Ranipet said, “The district administration building here has numerous empty rooms, yet they have not allocated space for a feeding room.”
Ranipet Collector Valarmathi told TNIE, “A feeding room will be arranged within 10 days in the collectorate. We have already proposed the allocation of funds from the PWD.” Sources said a similar situation exists in the Tiruvannamalai and Tirupattur district administration buildings. Several complaints have been submitted urging the authorities to set up separate rooms for feeding babies.
