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Kendrapara: Officials in Kendrapara district find themselves in a sticky wicket for revealing the identity of HIV-AIDS carriers.
The exposure made by Rajnagar block administration has sparked off a controversy as some infected persons have decided to seek judicial intervention.
Rajnagar block officials recently released the list of 49 beneficiaries for free housing scheme under Mo Kudia Jojana. The list contained among others the name of six HIV-AIDS carriers.
"A HIV-positive person can suppress identity and use a pseudonym in order to protect themselves from discrimination. The supreme Court has also ruled in favour of it," said Biraja Prasad Pati, an activist involved in AIDS eradication programme.
Rajnagar Block Development Officer, Rajendra Narayan Pradhan admitted the lapse on the part of block administration. "Its a slip committed inadvertently. We have struck off the HIV infected persons from the list of beneficiaries," he said.
Despite necessity, the fear of getting identified and consequent social ostracisation has forced the targeted beneficiaries maintain safe distance from the pension plan across this district, according to officials.
