It comes as a breather for girls and women. Hibi Eden MLA has initiated a project to set up sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators in educational institutions and public facilities. The project, Breaking Barriers, will be launched in the first week of June.
It will be implemented in phases. In the first phase, the project will be implemented in 18 schools and seven colleges across the city. “As part of the project a sanitary napkin vending machine and an incinerator worth Rs 98,000 will be installed in schools,” said Hibi Eden.
Ernakulam Social Service Society is the implementing agency. Bharat Petroleum Corporation has offered Rs 25 lakh for the project. Each vending machine will have a capacity to load 40 napkins. The operation of the machines will be controlled by the school authority.
“Breaking Barriers is being implemented as part of an outreach programme which aims at the comprehensive development of public service in Ernakulam constituency. If the project proves successful it will be extended to public facilities such as bus stands, railway stations and government hospitals,” Hibi said.
Educational institutions,including Maharaja’s College , Government Law College, SH College, St Albert’s College, St Albert’s TTI, Ernakulam Government Girls Higher Secondary School, St Joseph’s BEd college, Thevera SH HSS, Perumanoor St Thomas Girls HS, Elamakkara Government HSS, South Chittor SBOA School, St Teresa’s HSS, Ernakulam St Mary’s HSS, Kacheripady St Antony’s HSS, Pullepady Darul Uloom HSS, Kaloor Greets Public School, Elamakkara Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Ayyappankavu SN HSS, Pachalam LMCC HSS, Vaduthala Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala Don Bosco school, Kaloor ACS HSS, Kaloor Seventh Day HSS and North Edappally Government HSS will get the vending machine and incinerator.
Actor Revathi will inaugurate the programme at Ernakulam GHSS on June 7. ADGP R Sreelekha, Kochi Deputy Mayor B Bhadra, BPCL executive director Prasad K Panickar will attend the function.