Calcutta University on Friday installed a machine to vend sanitary napkins in the women's common room on five of its campuses.

The machines dispense a pack of three sanitary pads if one inserts coins totalling Rs 10. CU registrar Soma Bandyopadhyay said she had got the idea of installing the machines after seeing them at Mumbai University in August last year.

"In many of our departments most of the students are girls. Since this (use of napkins) is a basic need of women, I thought we should immediately install the machines on our campuses as well," she said.

"It's a welcome move as we won't be inconvenienced on campus during an emergency," a first-year Bengali MA student said.

The machines have been installed on the College Street and Alipore campuses, and at Rajabazar Science College, Ballygunge Science College and Viharilal College of Home and Social Science. The machines will soon be set up on the BT Road and Hazra Law College campuses.

The university also plans to install incinerators for proper disposal of the used pads.

Presidency University and Rabindra Bharati University have recently set up napkin vending machines.

Top cop accident

Bidhannagar police commissioner Gyanwant Singh suffered a minor injury on his right wrist after his vehicle met with an accident on Parama flyover on Friday evening. Sources said Singh's Salt Lake-bound car bumped into a vehicle after it suddenly slowed down.