Kerala to install sanitary napkin vending machines in public places

WOMN – Women on the Move and Menstrual Needs, a scheme of the Women and Child Development department to make women’s travel easier from the menstrual hygiene perspective, will be launched on Tuesday.

Often, lack of sanitary products to meet unexpected needs of women during travel poses a big hardship. Sanitary napkin vending machines, besides incinerators, will be installed at public places to reduce women’s anxiety about being caught unprepared for such emergencies as part of the 100-day programme of the State government.

Minister for Women and Child Development Bindhu Krishna who will inaugurate the scheme said it was intended to make sanitary napkins available at low prices to women and girls who were travelling and provide incinerators for ecofriendly disposal of the napkins after use, according to a statement.

As a pilot, sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators would be installed at 14 terminals/depots of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). Each packet would contain three sanitary napkins. It would be priced at ₹10.

The KSRTC will oversee the machines kept at depots. HLL will hand over the napkins to the KSRTC for stocking the machines. The machines have a three-year warranty. The KSRTC is charge of the incinerator maintenance too. The training for cleaning will be given to the staff by the HLL.

The initiative will be extended to more public spaces, including main tourist destinations, in the State.