The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wheat arrives in market despite protest by BKU
Our Correspondent

Khanna, April 17
Despite protest by the Bharti Kissan Union, the Asia’s largest grain market here witnessed the arrival of wheat today. Around 10,000 bags of wheat arrived in the market. BKU activists under the leadership of Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and Balbir Singh Rajewal had laid nakas at the entry of the grain market.

The leaders lamented that while the government was importing wheat at Rs 950 a quintal, the farmers were being paid Rs 650 per quintal. Even the actual cost, due to the increased cost of the agricultural inputs, now come to the tune of Rs 1,140 per quintal, they asserted.

Meanwhile, market committee chairman Harcharan Singh Rosh has termed the attempt to stop wheat from coming into the market as illegal, though he was supportive of higher MSP so that the farming community could meet the cost of produce.

Farmers stage dharna
Our Correspondent

Khamano, April 17
On the call given by three main factions of the Kisan Union, the dana mandi here wore a deserted look today. Workers of the Kisan Union are sitting on dharna since last evening at both the gates of the mandi stopping tractor-trolleys from entering.

A mishap was averted last evening when a tractor-trolley was about to trample a protesting kisan activist. The kisan activist luckily escaped unhurt. Meanwhile, other workers gathered on the spot and caught hold of the tractor-trolley driver and handed him over to the police.

Today, a rally was organised near the SDM’s office which was addressed among others by SGPC member, Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnia, Kisan union leaders, Bhinder Singh Ranwan, Preet Inder Singh and Karnail Singh.

BBC compere conferred cultural award
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 17
Ms Gurpreet Kaur, a presenter of Punjabi programmes on BBC Asia in Leicester (UK), was conferred the Amar Singh Dhiman Memorial Cultural Award by the Punjabi Culture Study Circle International (PCSCI) in a function at Punjabi Bhawan, here, in recognition of her role in promoting Punjabi language and way of life.

While presenting the award which consists of a traditional Punjabi phulkari and a memento, the PSCSI team termed Gurpreet as a vibrant envoy of Punjabi and Punjabiat overseas and that her efforts have facilitated better connectivity among Punjabis in Europe and elsewhere.

Highlighting the needs of Punjabis living in the UK, Ms Gurpreet said that literary bodies can join hands to play a role towards promoting Punjabi and Punjabiat and can address the rampant pollution of thoughts and culture.

She wished that in the era of globalisation, information, communication and technology ought to be utilised for fostering cultural connectivity in different parts of the world.

The function was chaired by Mr Jagdev Singh Jassowal while Dr Surjit Patar was the guest of honour who lauded the unique efforts of PCSCI in creating awareness among children on several issues and in highlighting the values of people like Mr Amar Singh Dhiman, who lived his life on the principles of hard work and simple living.

An art exhibition on the theme ‘Save Water’ displayed the 80 entries painted during the Amar Singh Dhiman Memorial Painting Contest held yesterday in which students from 17 schools participated.

The posters were adjudged by a panel comprising Prof Gurcharan Singh Khehra, Swaranjit Savi and Prof Kulwant Singh. In the senior group first, second and third prizes went to Amanpreet Kaur (GGN Public School), Milanmeet Kaur (DAV Public School) and Manjot Kaur (GGN Public School), respectively.

In the junior group, the winners were Udit Dargan Arora (Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar), Kirat Kaur Pandher (SCS Sarabha Nagar) and Gurharmanjeet Singh (MGM public School), respectively.

Consolation prizes went to Saurabh Maurya (Govt Senior Secondary School, PAU) and Surmeet Kaur (Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar), respectively in the senior and junior group.

Three special prizes were awarded to Tajinder Kaur, Manish and Parul, the participants from Ek Prayaas. Manish had prepared the poster with his feet.

All participants were awarded PCSCI mementoes and participation certificates.

Earlier, students staged a skit on ‘Consequences of abuse of water’. According to Dr Manu Sharma Sohal, the skit was staged to create awareness among the masses, particularly the school children, about the water scarcity that the Punjab is currently going through.

Prof Gurbhajan Gill said that the issue of water scarcity is intimately connected with human life and society, and requires immediate notice and redress, or else future generations will not forgive us.

Later, messages of Avtar Dhiman, Tarlochan Virk, Punjabi Listeners Club, Leicester, Ravinder Kundra, BBC Asian network, Gurjit Kaur Bains, Sikh Times and Joginder Kalsi, Vision of Punjab, Canada, which were sent for this function were read out.

The function concluded with the presentation of vote of thanks to the participants by Ms Manjeet Dhiman. The proceedings of the meet were conducted by Prof Kulwant Jagraon.

Accreditation policy for dentists on anvil
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 17
Dr Bhagwant Singh, former president of the Indian Dental Association (IDA) and vice-president of Asia-Pacific Dental Federation, has said that the syllabus of the dental degree course was being made uniform throughout the country and a minimum level of clinical competence would be assured in the near future.

Also, a new accreditation policy was likely to be introduced from next year for practicing dentists on lines similar to Western countries to make dental professionals improve their skills on a continuing basis.

Inaugurating a Continuing Dental Education (CDE) programme of the Ludhiana branch of the IDA at Dumra Auditorium in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) here on Sunday, he observed that the local chapter of the IDA had been a pioneer in organising CDE programmes.

The key speaker at the CDE, Dr Ajay Kakkar, touched various topics including non-surgical approaches in periodontics, aesthetic and computers in dentistry. He apprised the delegates that the cause of headache, migraine and pain in the neck with stiffness of jaws was related to the habit of clenching of teeth and a new appliance by the name of ‘NTI appliance’ was now available in the market.

Dr Kakkar asked the dentists to maintain computerised records of all the patients in terms of treatment, visits, new patients and receipts. A group discussion with panelists from across the state was also conducted.

Welcoming the guests, Dr Vikas Jindal, secretary, IDA, Ludhiana and organising secretary of the CDE, said the CDE programmes were the backbone of good medical services in any community, at any place.

Dr Jindal further added that the IDA Ludhiana branch was shortly coming up with more clinically oriented programmes for students, fresh graduates and general practitioners. He also promised to involve the younger generation in the forthcoming sessions.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr J. Bindra, president, IDA, said that dentistry today was not need-based but want-based and most of the best models had their smiles designed by dentists only. She maintained that the dental treatment being offered in our country could match international standards in terms of competence and techniques.

Dr Daljit Singh, principal, DMCH, laid stress on organising such programmes which would hone the skills of dental professionals in the city. He exhorted the IDA to come up with more such programmes in the interests of the community at large.

City doc performs innovative surgery
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, April 17
Had it not been for proper diagnosis and timely surgery performed by a city neurosurgeon, Dr Harbhajan Kaur, a 65-year-old woman from Poonian village in Nawanshahar district would have been not only confined to bed with total loss of vision but had also been in great pain and misery for the rest of her life.

The patient was leading a happy and normal life till about six months back when she started having headache, vomiting and decreasing vision in both eyes. She visited many hospitals and consulted a number of eye specialists but her eyesight went on decreasing. The stage reached that she could not even perceive the movements of hand and could see light at just about 6 inches of distance.

With no improvement in her condition, her son Jaswinder Singh brought her to the Sobti Neuro and Trauma Centre here on April 5. The MRI of brain was done, which revealed cystic lesion in sellar and suprasellar region suggestive of ‘Rathke’s Cleft Cyst’. A team of doctors led by Dr Sobti took up the challenge and decided to perform surgery on the patient.

Addressing a news conference here today, Dr Sobti informed that the surgery was conducted on April 7 through ‘sub-labial-transnasal-transsphenoidal’ approach (entering under the brain from mouth and nasal passage) with microscope to avoid any scar mark over the skin. There was a large cyst bulging from the sellar floor, which was opened. A mucoid like material came out from the cyst, which was fully drained.

“Harbhajan Kaur showed dramatic improvement after the surgery and started perceiving hand movements at one metre distance on the first post-operative day. She could count fingers from a distance of one to two metres the next day.” The patient, who was present at the occasion with her son, disclosed that now she could count fingers from a distance of 3-4 metres and recognise persons as well as distinguish colours from a distance of 4 to 5 metres. Dr Sobti was of the opinion that if the eyesight was failing and there was no apparent lesion in the eye, then there might be some lesion inside the brain, for which patient should be thoroughly investigated.

On the incidence of Rathke’s Cleft Cyst, he remarked that it was a rare congenital condition with an unknown cause.