Team Herald

PONDA: This must cause a huge embarrassment to every citizen: hundreds of future soldiers, camping at Curti for their recruitment into the Indian army, have been braving the sun, wind and cold for the last few days.

Hailing from various parts of the country, the young prospective jawans are seen moving in groups in search of proper shelter in Ponda to spend the night. They are in Goa for an army recruitment test at 6 TTR (Technical Training Regiment) military camp at Curti Panchayat. The recruitment drive is held every two years. 

The prospective jawans are expected to camp here for six days, but sadly the recruitment authority hasn’t made any arrangement for them -- even to answer nature’s call. Many were forced to use opens spaces, wherever they are found. 

Unable to find accommodations within their budget, hundreds of them are seen taking shelter on footpaths and temples.

A prospective jawan from Sangli said, “Our main problem is finding a toilet facility; we can’t take bath as we cannot get an accommodation within our budget.”

Another prospective jawan said that the military camp at Pune provides accommodation for those attending the recruitment camp.

Namdev Naik, a teacher, said that there are several schools and government buildings just opposite the military camp; the army authorities could have arranged accommodation for these youth in those schools and other government buildings.

Namdev even made novel suggestion that the general public could accommodate one such youth in their house for a night or two.

“During every recruitment camp we see their plight but nobody does anything for these young future soldiers. They may brave the cold and scourging sun, but they need toilet facilities,” he decried.