JHARSUGUDA: In a pioneering initiative to promote menstrual hygiene and create women-friendly public spaces, Jharsuguda has become the first Odisha district to undertake a large-scale installation of automated sanitary napkin vending machines and eco-friendly incinerators across government establishments and public offices.
The programme named ‘Abhaya’, spearheaded by district collector Kunal Motiram Chavan, aims to ensure affordable access to sanitary products and safe disposal facilities for women and girls at workplaces and public institutions.
In a departure from conventional inaugurations, Chavan insisted the initiative be inaugurated by young girls, the primary beneficiaries of the programme. Accordingly, two students of Beheramal Ashram School, Yoshada Kujur and Hanshika Pradhan, inaugurated the vending machine and incinerator unit on Friday.
“The access to menstrual hygiene facilities should never become a barrier to a woman’s academic or professional aspirations. Through ‘Abhaya’, our vision is to ensure that every girl and woman has access to emergency menstrual care without stigma, delay or embarrassment. At the same time, by ensuring safe disposal of menstrual waste, we are committed to protecting the health, safety and dignity of our sanitation workers,” said Chavan.
The administration has already installed the facilities at key public locations, including Zilla Pathagar and Sanskruti Bhavan. The vending machines provide two sanitary pads for Rs 10 through a manual token-and-coin mechanism, making emergency supplies accessible at an affordable price.
The intervention is expected to benefit students who spend long hours at public libraries preparing for competitive examinations. Chiki Majhi, a civil services aspirant at Zilla Pathagar, said students commuting seven to 10 km daily and studying for eight to ten hours often faced anxiety when menstruation began unexpectedly.
The availability of sanitary pads and disposal facilities inside the washroom would help them avoid interruptions and continue their studies without embarrassment, she said.
The administration has procured standardised V-Care Hygiene dispensing units through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Each dispenser is paired with an incinerator for hygienic disposal of used sanitary products and prevent clogged drainage systems, overflowing dustbins and foul odour, while eliminating the need for sanitation workers to manually handle menstrual waste.
Following the initial rollout across administrative establishments, the district administration plans to extend the initiative to public libraries and working women’s hostels across Jharsuguda.
