JHARSUGUDA: In a groundbreaking effort to enhance menstrual hygiene and establish welcoming public spaces for women, Jharsuguda has emerged as the first district in Odisha to implement an extensive rollout of automated sanitary napkin vending machines and environmentally friendly incinerators in government facilities and public offices.
The initiative, titled ‘Abhaya’, is led by district collector Kunal Motiram Chavan, aiming to provide women and girls with affordable sanitary products and safe disposal options in workplaces and public venues.
In a unique twist to traditional inaugurations, Chavan requested that young girls, the key beneficiaries of this program, perform the unveiling. Consequently, two students from Beheramal Ashram School, Yoshada Kujur and Hanshika Pradhan, inaugurated the vending machine and incinerator unit this past Friday.
“Access to menstrual hygiene facilities should never hinder a woman’s educational or career goals. With ‘Abhaya’, we aspire to ensure that every girl and woman can obtain emergency menstrual care without stigma or embarrassment. Additionally, by facilitating safe disposal of menstrual waste, we are dedicated to safeguarding the health, safety, and dignity of our sanitation workers,” stated Chavan.
The administration has already set up these facilities in notable public areas such as Zilla Pathagar and Sanskruti Bhavan. The vending machines offer two sanitary pads for Rs 10, utilizing a manual token-and-coin system to make emergency supplies easily accessible at low cost.
This initiative is anticipated to support students who spend extended hours in public libraries preparing for competitive exams. Civil services aspirant Chiki Majhi, who studies at Zilla Pathagar, mentioned that students traveling seven to ten kilometers daily and studying for eight to ten hours often experience anxiety when menstruation starts unexpectedly.
The provision of sanitary pads and disposal options within restrooms would help them avoid disruptions and continue their studies with confidence, she added.
The administration has acquired standardized V-Care Hygiene dispensing units through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Each dispenser is accompanied by an incinerator designed for the hygienic disposal of used sanitary products, preventing clogged drainage, overflowing bins, and unpleasant odors, while also removing the need for sanitation workers to manually handle menstrual waste.
Following the initial deployment in administrative offices, plans are in place to expand this initiative to public libraries and working women’s hostels throughout Jharsuguda.
