In line with the Swaccha Bharat Mission Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, an awareness programme on ‘Eco-friendly personal hygiene management for women’ was conducted at ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, on 21.8.2023. Dr. K. B. Hebbar, director, presided over the programme. In his presidential address, Dr. K. B. Hebbar, expressed concerns about the increasing menace created by plastic waste to the environment and emphasized the need to take immediate actions to reduce the generation of plastic waste at the individual and institute levels.
Mrs. Jyothi Hebbar, social worker associated with the Pragya Counseling Centre and member of the Toast Masters Club, Mangaluru was the special invitee and facilitator of the programme. Dr. Shruthi A.G., Director, Shruthi IVF fertility and Cosmetic Gynecology Centre, Kanhangad, Ms. Lavina, Marine Biologist/ Researcher, WCS-India, were the guests and resource persons for the programme. About 150 people, including teachers and girl students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1, CPCRI, staff of KVK and ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod participated in the programme.
Dr. V. Niral, Head, Division of Crop Improvement and Chairman, Women’s Welfare Committee, ICAR-CPCRI, highlighted the environmental threats of sanitary waste and the importance of conducting an awareness programme for women on alternate eco-friendly methods available for managing menstrual hygiene.
Mrs. Jyothi Hebbar expressed her concerns and sensitized the gathering about the plastic waste produced and the importance of reducing and proper management of the plastic waste and sanitary waste at the individual and community level. Dr. Shruthi, A.G., addressed the gathering on the various aspects of general personal hygiene management for women in medical terms. She also discussed the pros and cons of different alternative personal hygiene products available for women in terms of health concerns and their environmental friendliness. Ms. Lavina delivered a thought provoking speech on the effect of plastic wastes on marine ecosystems and how they affect marine life and the food chain. She motivated the gathering by shifting to eco-friendly alternatives for safeguarding the environment. The girl students and women shared their experiences during the programme.
Main theme of the programme was the growing threat to the environment posed by the daily production of more and more plastic waste. The treatment of sanitary waste was one of the other concerns.
