In an important initiative to address the interconnected issues of menstrual hygiene, waste segregation, and water conservation, the Assocham Goa Council, in association with the government of Goa and the Goa State Commission for Women, recently organised a multi-stakeholder program that went far beyond just discussing menstrual cycles – Menstrual Hygiene: Pioneering Sustainable Ecosystem in Hygiene, Sanitation, Water and Waste Management.
Held on May 28, in conjunction with Menstrual Hygiene Day, the program aimed to raise menstrual health awareness, encourage behavioural change and promote sustainable living to tackle a subject that is deeply personal, yet undeniably public.
Respecting the female body
Dr Geeta Patki, head of the department of SRTP at Gomantak Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, reminded the audience that menstrual hygiene and menopause are two vital yet often overlooked stages in a woman’s reproductive life. She highlighted the importance of recognising this biological process not as a taboo, but as a time to respect and care for the body.
She noted that 22.7% of girls in India still do not use hygienic menstrual products—a staggering number that reflects both economic and cultural challenges. Diet and lifestyle play a significant role in menstrual health. With Goa witnessing declining fertility rates, primarily due to modern sedentary lifestyles, awareness becomes more crucial than ever. Dr Patki advocated a balanced diet rich in protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids, and encouraged rest and stress-free routines during menstruation. For most Indian women, the cycle spans from age 12 to 50, marking nearly four decades of monthly personal and environmental care.
The silent crisis: Sanitary waste disposal
Gaurav Pokle, MD of Innovative Waste Aid and Management Pvt Ltd, delivered a powerful keynote on – Transforming Trash: Pioneering Sustainable Waste Management. Sanitary pads and diapers fall under hazardous waste – they can’t be recycled and must be incinerated. While brands aggressively market sanitary pads, they go silent on disposal. “Consumerism will never teach us that the things we buy harm the environment,” he observed.
Pokle stressed the urgent need for waste segregation at the household level and offered practical solutions. Without segregation, transformation is impossible. Plastic can be turned into oil or pellets, food waste into electricity or bio-CNG—but only if sorted correctly. His initiative, YIMB (Yes In My Backyard), empowers citizens to segregate, compost and treat their waste locally. Today, his firm processes nearly 150 tonnes of waste per day.
He proposed dedicated yellow disposal bags for diapers and sanitary pads in residential complexes, allowing for proper hazardous waste collection and incineration. He also introduced the ‘Trash Trade’ concept, where over 150 households and 200 businesses in Goa earn money, up to Rs 15 per kg, for their dry waste, creating both an economic and environmental incentive for segregation.
Policy perspectives
Sachin Desai, director of the department of Environment and Climate Change, government of Goa, added another layer to this discussion. He acknowledged the environmental burden of sanitary waste and urged citizens to take responsibility for proper disposal. His message was clear: sustainable hygiene is not just about using a product—it’s about what we do afterwards.
Shri Radhakrishnan, techno-legal consultant to Green Swastik Goa, expanded the dialogue to water usage and conservation. He revealed that nearly 70% of household water is used for body care and toilet use, while just 4% goes towards drinking and cooking. Goa’s water supply, sourced primarily from the Salaulim, Anjuna, and Tillari reservoirs, currently faces a daily deficit of 85 MLD (million litres daily). Further, about 40% of Goa’s water is classified as NRW (Non-Revenue Water)—produced but lost through leakages, pilferage, or misreading.
He urged citizens not to rely solely on authorities but to act responsibly and take proactive measures like rainwater harvesting, recharging bore wells, preserving natural bodies, and afforestation. As he aptly quoted Benjamin Franklin, “When the wells get dry, we know the value of water.”
This event reiterates that change does not always have to start with policy—it can begin at home, with conversations, with colour-coded bins, or with a decision to segregate waste or install a rainwater filter. Whether it is, understanding our bodies, respecting our resources, or changing our consumption patterns, every small step counts.
(The writer is Laghu Udyog Bharati, Goa State President, Assocham Empowerment Chair, and a member of the GCCI Managing Committee)
