Other States - Orissa   

A positive message

Kendrapara (Orissa): Pedalling his way on a bicycle, an unemployed youth from Berhampur arrived here to spread awareness about AIDS.

Dinanath Padhy from Kamapalli area of Berhampur in Ganjam district of Orissa is on a mission to ward off superstitious belief associated with the disease. “I have covered over a hundred blocks in south and western Orissa. I have come in close contact with thousands of villagers. Now I plan to cover coastal and northern pockets of the state by March 2008,” Padhy, who arrived here yesterday, said. Padhy lost his contractual assignment in a private finance company as a marketing assistant in 2006.

His search for a job did not materialise. Then he took to the cycle journey for a social cause. Ganjam district has earned the dubious distinction of being the most AIDS endemic area in the State. The people carry the disease from their workplaces in States like Gujarat and Maharashtra and later transmit it to their relatives, sources said. Then begins the plight of the victims in the form of social ostracisation. “The plight of the virus carriers with superstitious neighbours boycotting them in Ganjam drove me take up the awareness campaign on AIDS,” he narrated. - PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Festive mood pervades children’s mela
Cuttack to be a tourist hub
A positive message
Urbanites continue with old customs
Sweet attraction
Expressing solidarity
Naveen re-elected
Time to be cautious
BSNL customers are ‘served bills’ sans service
Agnivesh supports POSCO critics
Ganjam Mahotsav from Dec. 27
Bhubaneswar Mishra memorial award for violinist
UPA’s policies flayed
Naveen re-elected president of BJD
Kidnapped NALCO staffer found dead
Agnivesh suggests alternative site for setting up steel mill

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu