3 sanitary napkins for Rs. 10.
By Dileep Thekkethil
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BENGALURU: A start-up company in West Bengal is installing vending machines dispensing sanitary napkins in schools, colleges and public places.
The Kolkata-based start-up company Robust Solutions has currently installed vending machine named ‘Vendigo’ in Bhawanipore Education Society College. The machine will distribute three high-quality sanitary napkins for an affordable cost of Rs. 10, thus saving time, money and embarrassment faced by women in India, shopping at retail outlets.
Robust Solutions have undertaken this exemplary project for HLL Lifecare, which is a public sector undertaking under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Raunak Sarawagi, founder of Robust Solutions was quoted by IANS saying “We have got the required permits from the Bengal government and, gradually, we are extending the service to other districts. Both state-run, as well as private institutions, can install the automated devices.”
Sarawagi also said that such projects are being carried out by different implementing agencies across all Indian states.
Sarawagi added, “We have got immense response from the leading educational institutes of our city. Our new product, sanitary napkin incinerator, burns the used napkins to ashes as disposal of used napkins is also one of the major issues affecting the environment… it’s smoke free and easy to use.”
According to AC Nielsen report of 2011, only 12% of the total 355 million menstruating women in India use sanitary napkins.