Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (MS/HB)
Udupi, Dec 2: Some teachers go a step ahead than only teaching subjects to students. Many encourage students to take up extra-curricular activities and make them more creative. Some become role models by inventing something out of the blue.
One such teacher is Srikant V, maths teacher of Basrur government high school. He has understood the difficulties faced by the girl students of his school during the menstruation period and has invented a used napkin treatment plant on his own.
The specialty of this unit is that this machine is cheap, there is no need to burn the napkins as done by burner machine that is used in many schools. Moreover, this unit does not require electricity also.
Srikant came to know about the difficulties faced by rural girl students during the menstruation period from his own daughter. There are no proper washrooms to dispose the used napkins. If these are flushed in toilets, there are chances of the sewage getting blocked. For the same reason, some girls do not attend school during their menstruation period.
The unit developed by Srikant is better than the burner type of unit because this is much cheaper. The estimated cost of this unit is Rs 8,000 to 10,000. It does not emanate any foul smell. It does not require any electricity to function. It will last for 10 years (depending upon the number of girl students in the school).
The plastic waste that is generated after treating the used napkins can be used in the manufacture of cement. Once the cotton inside the used napkin melts away, the plastic cover remains. This can be used in cement manufacturing. Srikant has already appraised the Deputy Commissioner (DC) about this project.
The education department has given instructions to install this unit in other high schools also. Already 15 schools at Hebri, Mudradi, Heradi, Patla, Vaderahalli and other places have installed this unit, under the leadership of Srikant.
Though some schools are interested to install this unit, they do not have the funds for the same. In some areas, local clubs have come forward to bear the cost. But there are more than 200 high schools in the district and girl students from rural areas are in dire need of this unit.
Srikant was teaching at Odera Hobli School for 13 years before joining this school. He has already put 10 years of service in this school. He has prepared the used napkins recycling unit three years ago in the Basrur government school. Now his invention has become an inspiration for other schools to follow the same method. For the same reason, he has received the district level best teacher award under the environment-friendly programme of the government.
Though Srikant is a maths teacher, he has varied interests like gardening. He grows plants from seeds and distributes to the same to all. During the rainy season, he makes the students of the school to grow vegetables by planting them at school premises. Even if the shortage of water arises for growing plant, Srikant has taught the students how to manage the vegetable plants with less water. On the whole, Srikant tries to instil in students the happiness one gets from growing plants and doing agriculture. He devotes every Sunday for the manufacture of used napkin treatment plant.