Asansol, Dec. 17 :    Asansol, Dec. 17:  The government is worried about the rise in HIV cases and other sexually-transmitted diseases among pregnant women in rural Bengal, especially in Bankura. A zonal review in Burdwan, Bankura and Purulia by the HIV surveillance committee has confirmed that the infection rate for antenatal mothers has touched .36 per cent. The rate of infection for other sexually-transmitted diseases has reached .25 per cent. The HIV statistic, though far less than the national average of .75 per cent, is alarming, said Dr S.K. Ojha, deputy director of the state AIDs control project. The surveillance project to control and monitor the spread of the virus is jointly funded by the World Health Organisation, the state government and the Centre. The committee recently completed its fifth round of survey on the spread of HIV. Burdwan Medical College hospital and Durgapur hospital are conducting HIV tests. Bankura and Purulia hospitals have been given the responsibility of conducting tests on sexually-transmitted diseases. According to the latest survey, of the 132,000 people tested for HIV in the last one year, 3,200 have tested positive. In Burdwan, Purulia and Bankura, of the 3,200 antenatal mothers checked, five tested positive for HIV. In cases of sexually-transmitted diseases, 12 positive cases were detected in the districts out of 1,490 tested. In Burdwan Medical College hospital, of the 250 antenatal mothers examined, one tested positive. In Bankura, of the 240 women tested, three cases were found positive. Ojha said there were two reasons behind the spread of such infections. Either the women were infected by their husbands or through extra-marital affairs. But it was most likely that the women were infected by their husbands. About the spread of the HIV virus, Ojha said West Bengal, because of its location, was in the high-risk category. 'There are two ports (Calcutta, Haldia), three highways and a grand railway link connecting the south and western parts. The time has come to be alert,' he said. Fake tickets Police have busted a fake railway ticket racket in Kharagpur. Divisional commercial manager of Kharagpur division V. Srivastav said a special team conducted a check on Mumbai Mail and Geetanjali Express from December 13 to 15 and found 13 passengers travelling with fake tickets. The tickets were booked from New Koilaghat reservation office. Vigilance officers suspect the involvement of a section of railway employees in the racket. 'We have already started an inquiry and everything will be clear very soon,'' Srivastav said.