Promotion

Panchayat members in Chandeni village of Bhiwani district, Haryana, are encouraging all prospective brides and grooms to go for an HIV test before marriage.

A resolution for the same was passed a few days after the 10-member panchayat, and sarpanch Mamta Sangwan, were unanimously elected by the villagers.

Picture for representation. Source: (L) Flickr, (R) Flickr

Agreeing with the idea, Dharamjit Grewal and Mukesh Rani who go married on Monday, submitted their HIV reports to the sarpanch.

“Most villagers here are educated and know the implications of such a disease. Hence, soon after the panchayat passed this resolution, we got the test done. It was produced before the village in the presence of the panchayat, which was invited for reception held on Monday,” Dharamjit told The Times of India.

26-year-old Mamta is very confident about the success of the idea, which was suggested to her by Sanjay Ramphal, an activist and theatre artist in the village. The panchayat members have also decided to gift a tulsi sapling to couples and ask them to pledge that they will not indulge in female foeticide.

Promotion

“HIV infection is claiming so many lives and I don’t want anyone from our village to die because of it. I will try to extend the fight against HIV to adjoining villages as well,” she told Hindustan Times.

Mamta Sangwan is a graduate who was elected as the first woman sarpanch of the village. Her husband, Hitesh Sangwan, is a head constable in the Army.

According to reports, it is not compulsory for people getting married to get the test.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).