Date:02/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/02/stories/2008120250390200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Rallies, blood donation mark World AIDS Day

Staff Reporter

Importance of involving youth in awareness activities underlined

Some 1,300 NCC cadets organised bicycle rally
Students told to actively participate in such events for the welfare of society

PHOTO: V. Raju

With a message: A folk artiste from Gudivada in Krishna district performing at an awareness rally taken out by students on World AIDS Day in Vijayawada on Monday. —

VIJAYAWADA: Campuses of educational institutions came alive with much activity on the occasion of the World AIDS Day on Monday, with NCC cadets and NSS volunteers taking the initiative to spread awareness of the disease.

As many as 1,300 NCC cadets of 17 (A) battalion organised bicycle rally from PWD Grounds to Tummalapallivari Kshetrayya Kalakshetram, passing through D.V. Manor, P.B. Siddhartha College, Ramesh Hospital, Ramavarappadu Ring, SRR & CVR Government College and Vijaya Talkies.

The rally was flagged off by 17 (A) battalion Commanding Officer Col. R.B. Paleti and Additional District Medical & Health Officer T.V.S.N. Sastry.

The cadets of 1 (Andhra) NCC and NSS volunteers of V.R. Siddhartha Engineering College took out another awareness rally from their campus to Kanuru and surrounding areas to sensitise local people about the need for disease prevention.

Slogans raised

College principal K. Mohana Rao flagged off the rally, while NSS coordinator A. Ratnakar and NCC officer P.V. Sundaranand were present. The participating cadets and volunteers held placards and raised slogans against discrimination against people living with AIDS.

Dr. Mohana Rao commended the students for actively participating in a socially beneficial programme and advised them to take up more such events for the greater good of the society.

The speakers stressed the need for enhancing awareness about HIV/AIDS, so that maximum number of people could be involved in prevention activities towards achieving an AIDS-free country.

They underlined the importance of involving young generation in awareness activities, as the future belonged to them.

In SRR and CVR Government Degree College, NSS and Youth Red Cross volunteers donated blood on the occasion of World AIDS Day. The camp was inaugurated by industrialist Gokaraju Ganga Raju.

Indian Red Cross Society Krishna district secretary A. Sridhar Reddy said that the Red Cross was encouraging more and more youth to donate blood voluntarily.

College in-charge principal P.L. Sailaja called upon blood donors to sensitise their colleagues to the need to donate blood.