Did you get your period when you are outside and need a sanitary pad? There is a chance that your autorickshaw driver would have stocked the vehicle with a few sanitary pads. Recently, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy launched an initiative called ‘Kshema’ started by Sakriya Charitable Trust which has been working in the area of menstrual health, under which sanitary pads are made available in autorickshaws.
As a start, around 10 autorickshaw drivers, including Azzu Sulthan of Auto Kannadiga fame, have installed sanitary pad vending machines in their vehicles. The trust plans to extend this programme to more autorickshaws, especially those driven by women.
Mr. Reddy called the initiative a first-of-its-kind in the country. “These dispensers have been installed so that they can be helpful to women in need. If other companies or organisations come forward to expand this initiative under their CSR programmes, then we will support them,” he told The Hindu.
While social media users expressed their appreciation for this initiative, women also said that such initiatives will remove the taboo surrounding conversations about menstruation.
“Sometimes, we leave the house and then realise that we have gotten our period. Instead of hunting for a medical shop and wasting some time in traffic, it is better to have sanitary pads readily available in public spaces. While our public and even office spaces are yet to take steps to make pads easily accessible, it is commendable that autorickshaw drivers have taken this step. Hope it extends to government buses and metro stations also,” said Vaishnavi K., a private employee from Rajajinagar.
Published – January 13, 2025 07:03 am IST
