‘HIV village’ wants name changed

Lucknow: Residents of Prem Ganj village in Bangarmau in Unnao district now find nothing lovable about the name of their village. More than 30 residents of the village have been tested HIV positive. Villagers feel that this has brought a bad repute to the village and therefore are demanding that its name should be changed to protect themselves from the stigma.

"The village is now known for having scores of HIV patients and this has become a social stigma. The officials have taken the name of the village before the media and it is now widely known as 'HIV wala gaon'," said a local from the village.

Around 76 people have tested HIV positive in three villages of Bangarmau and Prem Ganj is one of them. A total of 33 people were detected as HIV positive at a blood donation camp which had been organised on February 3.

"Now people associate our village with AIDS and this is very disgusting. It hurts the sentiments of the people residing here. There have been cases from other villages too, but the entire media and health department officials are just highlighting Prem Ganj," a youth  said.

What has further troubled the residents of Prem Ganj is the fact that some officials have attributed the spread of HIV cases to increased sex activity in the village. "The claim by the officials that brothels are being run in the village is wrong. No one has the right to cast aspersions on our character," said a local farmer.