Red Ribbon Express on a fortnight campaign in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Mar 29 (UNI) The Red Ribbon Express (RRE), a train designed to generate complete awareness about HIV/AIDS, will arrive in Orissa on April one next.

The train will pass through seriously AIDS/HIV-affected districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Khurda, Ganjam, Anugul, Sambalpur and Bolangir before leaving for Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on April 15.

Orissa AIDS Cell Project Director P Swain said the train would halt at seven stations and cover 1200 km inside Orissa to spread the AIDS awareness among the people.

The train with seven coaches is aimed at educating the people through exhibitions, display of educational material and sensitisation of selected groups such as Panchayati Raj Institute workers, Anangawadi workers, self-help groups, youths and women and counselling.

Mr Swain said arrangements had been made to organise cycle rallies within 15 to 25 km radius of the station where train would halt to spread the awareness.

The cycle rally comprising 300 volunteers of the Nehru Yuva Kendra would touch 24 villages in six different routes and perform 24 shows on HIV/AIDS everyday to educate the people.

The artistes from the Song and Dance division would move on a radius of 25 to 50 km and perform three shows on HIV/AIDs in remote areas everyday to sensitise the people.

An idea to launch a national campaign on AIDS awareness was conceived by the Rajiv Gandhi foundation.

The train was flagged off on World AIDS day on December one from New Delhi.

UNI BD-DP SJC/src2013