TARN TARAN: The deadly HIV virus has knocked at several doors in village Dhotiyan in Taran Taran district of Punjab, threatening an AIDS outbreak. The village elders alrmed at the situation  has decided to make HIV test compulsory for wedding couples before marriage.

Dhotiyan is one of the few villages in this border district where HIV cases are on rise. Earlier, certain otehr village Panchayats have also proposed similra steps to counter the AIDSA merace. Dhotiyan village has lost as many of 10 people recently reportedly due to AIDS. Most of the youth here are truck drivers.

Ranjit Singh Rana, former Sarpanch of the village, told Punjab Newsline that the Panchayat members have decided to convey their decision to the State government and urge to open up a “Suvidha Kendre” at the village for conducting HIV tests and other required medical test before marriages of village youths.

The Panchayat would also provide financial help for conducting tests for those who could not afford to pay for it. The health services in border district of Punjab are at worst, hardly any  doctor going regularly to the health centres.

Rana said that the outbreak of AIDS in the villages has led to social problems, which was also creating bitterness in the society. He said that an army jawan broke his engagement with a village girl when he came to know that his would be father and mother-in-laws died due to AIDS. However, the matter was resolved after the intervention of the village Panchayat.

This is not the only case, 71-year-old Jarnail Singh of Dhotiyan village has lost his son Harjinder Singh and daughter-in-law Parkash Kaur due to AIDS. Harjinder was also a truck driver.

However, Jarnail Singh claims that his daughter-in-law got AIDS through an HIV affected needle during a delivering case in the government hospital of Tarn Taran after which Harjinder also got the diseases transferred to him from his wife. However, the 14-year-old son of Harjinder and Parkash Kaur is free from the deadly which was confirmed after tests.

Jarnail Singh is also in favour of conducting HIV test before marriages. But he is sceptical of society’s attitude. “People feel hesitant and won’t admit even if someone is affected with HIV virus,” he says.

But the villagers hesitantly admitted that there are nearly dozen HIV positive cases in many villages in Tarn Taran district and emphasised on the need of spreading awareness in society about AIDS.

According to official reports more than 350 people had so far died of AIDS in Punjab. The number of infected people is anyboldy's guess.