Women Hygiene: Ajmer Became First City To Get Sanitary Napkins Vending Machine

Ajmer city in Rajasthan has opened a ‘Sanitary Napkins Vending Machine’ at ‘Janana hospital’. This is the first step towards a bigger campaign for women hygiene.
As per the plan, 70 such machines will be installed at many places including jails, bus stand, polytechnic colleges, schools and other areas. So the quintessential city became the first of its own kind in India to have large scale Napkins Vending Machines.

As per Business Insider reports, the District collector Gaurav Goyal said, “In view of the stigma and social taboo associated with sanitary napkins, majority of the girls/women, feel embarrassed and hesitate to go to the commonly known outlets for sanitary napkins, manned and often crowded by men, resulting in unsafe practices, and use of unhygienic materials during menstrual periods. Thus, vending machine would be a good solution.”

“We have ordered for 70 such machines in total, which would be installed at girl’s colleges, schools, Women Polytechnic College, Jail and other parts of the district. More such machines would be installed at Beawar, Kishangarh and Naseerabad areas,” Goyal added further.

The machines are made in India by Hindustan Lifecare Limited, a Government of India initiative. And it gives three sanitary napkins when you insert Rs 10.

Another issue of sanitary pads is the waste amount to 1,065 million soiled pads per month (60 hectares) that is a big toll on the environment. So ‘Sanitary Napkin Incinerators’ will also be installed along with these vending machines to solve the problem of disposal.

The Logical Indian applauds the initiative taken by the government. In India, where only 12% women have access to sanitary napkins, 23% of girls still drop out of schools after attaining puberty, it is a much-needed step. It will certainly help break the taboo.