Catching a film and AIDS too!

Hitarth Pandya / TNN / May 21, 2007, 04:20 IST

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Alarmed by the growing danger of AIDS, the health department is taking a serious note of the mushrooming mini video theatres where diamond and textile workers are shown blue films.

SURAT: Alarmed by the growing danger of HIV/AIDS, the health department and non-government organisations have taken serious note of the mushrooming mini video theatres in Varachha, Katargam and Limbayat, where diamond and textile workers are shown blue films.
Senior officials monitoring the AIDS prevention told TOI condom distribution has already started at 350 mini video theatres in Surat.A small documentary on AIDS awareness has been circulated.
Recently officials from Surat Municipal Corporation, members of NGOs and owners of video theatres were invited to discuss the issue. “These parlours are catering to base instincts of diamond workers. As part of information dissemination process we had invited the video theatre owners association members. They have agreed to show the documentary on AIDS awareness and keep condoms available at their theatres,” said SMC in-charge project manager, Snehlata Bhatia.
Even for NGOs working in these areas, the video theatres have turned out to be major focus area. “During our interaction with many affected youth we came to know that they would try to relieve the stress through adopting various methods and watching porn movies in video theatres was one of the most common practices,” said Dinesh Prajapati, a social worker.

However, for police administration, the mini theatres are still grey areas. “We have often raided these theatres and seized porn CDs. But soon after the raids the owners would start the same activity again because for the same reasons they are earning a lot of money.
The diamond workers are their prime customers and at no cost they would stop showing the porn movies,” said officials at Task Force.

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