India's condoms pop up in the strangest places

AUG 13: Despite a population explosion and a growing AIDS problem, free condoms are being used in unusual ways, writes Rahul Bedi in New Delhi.
Millions of the condoms distributed free in India to combat AIDS and a soaring population are being used for other purposes such as waterproofing roofs, reinforcing roads and even polishing saris, say health workers.
In fact, only a quarter of the 1.5 billion condoms manufactured each year in India were being "properly utilised", said a report by doctors at King George's Medical University in Lucknow.
According to two university reports, rural villagers have used them as disposable water containers to wash, after relieving themselves in the fields. India's military have covered gun and tank barrels with condoms as protection against dust.
Of the 891 million condoms meant to be handed out free, a considerable proportion were acquired by road-building contractors who mixed them with concrete and tar and used the mixture to construct roads, rendering road surfaces smooth and resistant to cracks.
Builders spread a bed of condoms beneath cement plastering on roofs, ingeniously preventing water seepage during the monsoon rains.
Weavers in Varanasi used around 200,000 condoms a day to lubricate their looms and to polish the gold and silver thread used to embroider the saris they produced. Sari maker Yusuf Bhai said they purchased the condoms from agents, who reportedly acquired them from agencies involved in family planning and AIDS prevention schemes.
The Government began distributing free condoms in the 1960s to stem India's galloping population growth.
The country's population stood at 1.03 billion on March 1, 2001, when the figure was last tabulated and is estimated to touch 1.46 billion by 2035, overtaking China's.
Top census official J. K. Banthia recently said India had added 182 million people between 1991 and 2001, which is more than the estimated population of Brazil.
India adds about 1815 people to its numbers every hour - around 15.67 million each year.
India also has one of the world's largest number of HIV positive cases and distributing free condoms is one way the Government seeks to combat this multiplying menace.

Link back