Pondy set to welcome Red Ribbon Express

Puducherry, Jun 5: The Red Ribbon Express, an initiative to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS and promote safe behavioral practice, will arrive at the Puducherry Railway Station on June 7.

Addressing the press here today, District Collector Thevaneethidas said the train, a national campaign on HIV/AIDS, would travel over 9,000 km during the year covering about 180 districts and holding programmes 43,200 villages.

The concept was a broad based multimedia and multisectoral mass mobilisation project in the country to make it a holistic and comprehensive campaign to mobilise people's movement against HIV/AIDS.

The train, comprising seven coaches, would be accorded a rousing reception.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy would inaugurate the programme in the Union Territory, which would be undertaken by the Puducherry AIDS Control Society and the Nehru Yuva Kendra, Mr Das said and asked the youth and students to take advantage of the programme for their own benefit.

UNI