‘Jobs, please’
TNN | Jan 14, 2015, 02.00AM IST
Times Panchanama: Pirna-Bardez 

Isidore Domnick Mendes 

Bordered by four villages that are situated in three talukas; Nadora in Bardez, 
Ozarim in Pernem and Mencurem and Advalpal in Bicholim, this village, which is 
also bounded by the Sahyadri range, is home to 4,500 inhabitants, out of which 
2,700 are registered voters. 

Pirna ranks amongst the top in the category of the 'unemployed villages' of 
Goa. According to rough estimates in the category, there are as many as 1,500 
unemployed youth in the village. 

Employment opportunities hardly exist in Pirna village, which comprises seven 
wards and 10 vaddos including Kel, Dessai, Tanodi, Naik, Sutar, Gaunkar, 
Umar/Pirna, Tallop, Thorli Chandai and Dhakti Chandai. Around 25% of the 
villagers are employed in agriculture and cashew plantation, while 10% work on 
cattle-rearing. 

"Unemployment is the main challenge facing the people of Pirna. Apart from the 
dairy unit, till date, not a single employment-generating unit has come up. Due 
to the paucity of work, our people end up working as daily-wage workers. It is 
an irony that despite our village having a rich legacy of producing so many 
freedom fighters, employment avenues hardly exist for the sons and daughters of 
the soil," opines journalist and poet Sangam Bhosle, a resident of Thorli 
Chandai. 

Concurs Govind Naik, chairman, Pirna Dudh Society, "There are no industries in 
the village. Apart from growing paddy, cultivating vegetables and tending to 
cashew crops, dairy is the only other source which provides livelihood 
around-the-year to around 70 villagers." Importantly, the concerned Pirna Dairy 
unit supplies 1,600 litres of milk to Goa Dairy each day. Naik further adds 
that the milk production of the dairy could be increased manifold by expanding 
its area of business and providing more of green fodder to the cattle. 

Residents of Pirna feel the dual reason that the village lies in an interior 
area and does not have a political saviour has been the main factor responsible 
for Pirna not getting job creating centers. "Since our village lies away from 
NH 17, it is viewed as an isolated and interior one. It does not have a 
political godfather to vouch for it at the state and national level. As a 
result, our village has not been a fertile ground to create employment 
opportunities," says Vilas Korgaonkar of Dessai vaddo. 

Like the villagers, the panchayat, too, has high hopes from the present BJP 
state government that it will create employment avenues by getting eco-friendly 
and non-polluting industries to Pirna. Unlike many panchayats in Goa, Pirna 
panchayat's revenue is almost negligible as it survives mainly on house tax and 
government grants. As a result, local self-government does not have finance to 
tackle the biggest challenge caused by unemployment. The state government 
should bring in modern environment-friendly industries. The panchayat is all 
for setting up a garment factory at Pirna for which around 5,000 sqm of land 
has already been acquired," states sarpanch Govind Kubal alias 'Dada'. 
Even the local Tivim MLA agrees that unemployment is a big challenge for Pirna. 
"Though unemployment is a pan-Goa issue, the residents of Pirna are affected 
more than other villages. In consultation with the comunidade, we are in the 
process of acquiring land for the setting up of a handloom factory, which will 
generate jobs for 200 people. For Pirna itself, we have also planned for 
vocationalization of education by developing a handloom training unit in the 
old, unused primary school. Last, but not the least, the proposed industrial 
estate at Sirsaim will not only benefit villagers of Pirna, but, almost all the 
residents of Bardez taluka. The state government has acquired 8,65,000sqm of 
land by depositing Rs 2.16 crore," states MLA Kiran Kandolkar. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

Problem Problem 
Protection of farms 
Pirna has been suffering from attacks by wild animals on its fruit and 
vegetable farms. "It is almost a regular phenomena when the creatures of the 
wild; be it monkeys, wild boars, peacocks etc., come and devour crops, fruits 
and vegetables grown on fields, farms and private gardens etc. Villagers are 
eagerly awaiting for a solution that will combat the menace caused by wild 
animals at Pirna," states Sangam Bhosle of Thorli Chandai. 

Waterfall 
Pirna villagers have been asking for development of the waterfall in the 
village as a tourism spot. "Efforts should be made to develop the Pirna 
waterfall as a tourism spot, as it will not only open new employment avenues 
for residents of Pirna, but, also lead to an overall improvement of village 
infrastructure in terms of road and beautification of the village," says 
sarpanch Govind Kubal. 

Health service 
The villagers of Pirna yearn for good public health service due to the 
negligible presence of a doctor in the village. For their sub-health centre, 
villagers hope that a provision will be made by the state government for the 
stationing of a doctor on all seven days of the week, instead of only one day - 
Tuesday. 

A little trivia 
Pirna is home to many temples. Notable among them is the 450-year-old Hanuman 
temple which was renovated two years ago. 'Tirthacho Mulo Shiva' temple 
situated on the hill at Naik vaddo is a revered spot, where it is believed that 
water came up miraculously after years. From November 2001 to around January 
2002, the place was in the news when it got water after 42 years. Pirna thrives 
with cultural activities. The Marathi 'nataks' produced by its society Astha 
Gandha has won top position at all India level contests. The seven-day Bhajan 
Saptah held every year in November is famed all over Goa. Pirna has been 
birthplace to around 20 freedom fighters including late Yashwant Dessai ,late 
Neelkant Chodankar, late Govind Shantaram Sinai Bhonsle etc. Gajanand Chodankar 
is one of the last surviving freedom fighters. Famous tabla maker late 
Pandurang Parab hails from the village and now the rich legacy is being 
continued by his son Digambar Parab. Former opening batsman of India and 
ex-captain of Bombay Ranji team Sudhir Naik, nephrologist Dr Arun Halarnkar and 
Marathi singer Kishore Dessai have their roots in Pirna. 



Top View 
The state government should bring in modern environment-friendly industries. 
The panchayat is all for setting up a garment factory at Pirna 
Govind Kubal, sarpanch 

In consultation with the comunidade, we are in the process of acquiring land 
for the setting up of a handloom factory, which will generate jobs for 200 
people 
Kiran Kandolkar, MLA 

People's take 
Unemployment is the main challenge facing the people of Pirna. Apart from the 
dairy unit, till date, not a single employment-generating unit has come up 
Sangam Bhosle, local resident 

There are no industries in the village. Apart from growing paddy, cultivating 
vegetables and tending to cashew crops, dairy is the only other source which 
provides livelihood to around 70 villagers 
Govind Naik, local resident 

Since our village lies away from NH 17, it is viewed as an isolated and 
interior one. It does not have a political godfather to vouch for it at the 
state and national level 
Vilas Korgaonkar, local resident 

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