Calcutta, April 10: Alarmed over the detection of 15 full-blown AIDS cases among jawans on duty along the Bangladesh border, the BSF has launched an awareness campaign.

The drive will cover North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, Cooch Behar, and South Dinajpur.

BSF inspector-general R.K. Pachananda said the revelation came as a ?surprise? and the need for an awareness campaign was immediately felt. ?We are not taking any chances,? he added.

Last Friday, the BSF brass launched the campaign, named Prahari, from its headquarters in Calcutta.

An officer today said almost 40,000 jawans are posted to guard the Bangladesh border in north and south Bengal.

?According to rules, personnel manning the border have to work for 10 months before getting a two-month leave. But most of them don?t get it. Long separation from families leads to jawans visiting prostitutes,? an officer said.

BSF additional director-general S.I.S. Ahmed said the detection of the AIDS cases, was ?not a reflection on the moral character of the jawans?.

Ahmed said the jawans will be shown photographs depicting safe sex. Pamphlets and booklets on prevention and control will be distributed.

?We will emphasise on the use of condoms and tell them how one can contract AIDS other than from unprotected sex ? through injection needles and blood transfusion,? said Ahmed.