OUR COUNTRY HAS ALWAYS REMAINED BACKWARD TOWARDS PROVIDING THE SEX EDUCATION TO THE GIRL-CHILD, AND THE LACK OF AN ACCESS TO SANITATION FACILITIES AT THE SCHOOL FORCED MORE THAN 20% GIRLS TO DROP OUT OF THE SCHOOLS, ONCE THEY ATTAINED THE PUBERTY. TO BRING DOWN THE NUMBERS OF DECREASING GIRLS IN THE SCHOOL, THE ROTARY CLUB HAVE TAKEN AN INITIATIVE AND INSTALLED THE SANITARY NAPKIN VENDING MACHINES IN THE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND VARIOUS OTHER PLACES IN THE STATE.
The sources have revealed that by installing the sanitary napkin vending machines in the schools, it will help the number of girls to stay in the school, and it will also help the government preventing the sanitary napkins from ending up in the landfills, which needs to be segregated from there manually.
According to the sources, there are two units have been installed in the two separate locations in Bicholim, one is Shri Shantadurga Higher Secondary School, and Second is Rotary Club of Bicholim. The sources have further stated that the units have also been fitted at the Panaji police station, Narayan Zantye College of Commerce, MES College and the Goa College of Home Science are among other higher secondary schools and colleges, by the Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera.
The unit that has been installed at the Goa College of Home Science, is basically meant for the girl students traveling the places like Bicholim and Sanquelim. The sources have said that now the students from far places do not have to panic in the case of emergency. The dispensing of sanitary napkins made very easy. They just have to insert Rs. 5 coin into the vending machine and receive the sanitary napkin. For the convenience of the student, the vending machine has been fitted outside the Ladies washroom. “The incinerator has been installed inside the bathroom and the college has made it compulsory for students to dispose of their pads there,” said the sources.
The sources have revealed that the demonstration in this regards have been made to the students as soon as they join the course in the college. “They are also encouraged to dispose of pads in the incinerator by themselves, instead of leaving it for the cleaners,” said the Assistant Professor of Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics, Gauravi Shirodkar, who is also in charge of the health watch club of the college. “Once incinerated, the ashes collected in the machine are disposed of,” she added.
The machines have been sponsored for girl students’ convenience and to ensure proper disposal of sanitary napkins after use. The immediate past president of Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera, Raja Melvani said. The club invests in the machine and it is up to each institution to replenish the pads. A lot of sanitary napkins and pampers are disposed of every month, proving to be a major challenge in the garbage disposal for civic authorities.
SOURCE: TOI
IMAGE SOURCE:INDIA TIMES | IYTIMG
