HUBBALLI: Inmates of the Government Polytechnic Girls Hostel at Vidyanagar here will not have to venture out anymore to buy a sanitary napkin. Thanks to a vending machine installed at their hostel, they get biodegradable sanitary pad 24x7 by inserting a Rs 10 coin. Disposing of used pad is also not an issue for them as an incinerator is also installed there.City-based Majethia Foundation has donated the machine and incinerator to the hostel. Foundation chairman Jitendra D Majethia told TOI that he was inspired by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that if the sanitary pads are made available to women at a less cost, it will also contribute to hygiene. "Sanitary pads available outside are costly. However, the government-run HLL Lifecare Limited manufactures sanitary pads which are available at a very less cost. The vending machines will dispense a pack three pads," he said.Majethia said that the foundation is also creating awareness on proper disposal of used pads as 95% of women in the country do not know how to do it. "The incinerator is made to solve the problem pertaining to destruction of pads. It destroys used pads without causing any problem to the environment. The cost of both the machines is also less. We bought both the machines at Rs 75,000," he said.He also expressed his happiness that even some conservatives are also coming forward and approaching the foundation seeking donation of the vending machine and incinerator. "The Indo-Urdu School got the machines installed from us. We are also installing the machines to Chitguppi Government Hospital where hundreds of women get admitted for delivery. Since these women are from economically weaker section, making available the low-cost sanitary pads will help them significantly," he said.Hostel warden Rubeena Naganur said that girls staying in houses may not face problem while buying sanitary pads as their family members purchase them from shops."However, hostel girls have no option but to buy them directly. Moreover, if they require pads during night hours it will be difficult to get. The sanitary napkin vending machine has solved this problem," she said.Gynaecologist Sabita Kallianpurkar said that throwing away used pads by the roadside or dustbin poses health threat to sanitation workers, rag-pickers and stray animals.

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