THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Work for setting up a cotton sanitary pad unit under the city corporation is under way. With a budget of Rs 30 lakh, the project will be ready within the next three months, if the tender proceedings go as expected. The unit will be set up in Kattayikkonam ward and a consultancy has already been selected to provide training to the staff. Five people who can stitch well will be hired through Kudumbashree for the project.
“We have to inspect the building in Kattayikkonam and ensure that it is fit for the project. We are also moving towards the tender proceeding for buying the sewing machines, cutting machine and a steriliser. Currently, we plan to make two types of pads, ready-to-use and reusable cloth pads,” said the officer-in-charge.
A packing unit and marketing machinery will also be set up as part of the unit.“We require some time to get the project on track. Sound marketing will be the key to the success of the product. Cotton pads will be comparatively expensive and thus getting it to the public will be a task in itself,” said the official.
The project was presented in the corporation budget in 2018. The project was envisioned by the corporation due to the ecological impacts of the single-use pads with large amount of plastic in it and the growing popularity of cotton pads.