B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Confusion over NRI quota seats leaves aspirants jittery
Faridkot, June 23
The prevailing confusion over filling the NRI quota seats in the medical (MBBS), dental (BDS) and post-graduation medical courses (MD, MDS and MS) in various private and government colleges in Punjab has left the aspirants in jittery.

Survey finds 804 cancer cases in Sangrur 
Sangrur, June 23
The second phase of the statewide cancer survey was completed in Sangrur district. In this phase, people suspected to have the disease were to be examined.

Sugarcane growers in Fazilka await payment of Rs 12 cr
Fazilka, June 23
Though the Punjab Government enhanced the state agreed price (SAP) of sugarcane by Rs 40 per quintal, it has failed to make the balance payment to the tune of about Rs 12 crore for the crushing season 2012-13 to cane growers of Fazilka. The season had ended in March.

Mystery shrouds man’s death
Abohar, June 23
Mystery shrouds the dramatic hanging of Vicky Singh, a daily-wage earner, near Panjpeer colony here. He had reportedly left his house at 5 am for a walk. After few hours, someone informed his father Jagsir Singh that his body was hanging from a branch of a tree.

Confusion over NRI quota seats leaves aspirants jittery
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 23
The prevailing confusion over filling the NRI quota seats in the medical (MBBS), dental (BDS) and post-graduation medical courses (MD, MDS and MS) in various private and government colleges in Punjab has left the aspirants in jittery.

Each year, over 100 Indian and overseas students get admission under the NRI quota. But due to confusion this time, the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) could fill only two of the total 20 NRI seats for MD, MDS, and MS courses in Punjab during the last two days.

The confusion was caused after contradictory notifications made by the Medical Council of India (MCI), the Dental Council of India (DCI) and the Punjab Government. In the notification at the time of holding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for under-graduate (MBBS, BDS) and post-graduate (MD, MS, MDS) courses, the MCI and the DCI did not clearly mention that the test was also compulsory for NRI quota seats. So many aspiring NRI medics did not appear in the NEET.

But in its notification on June 5, the Punjab Government declared that only those candidates, who have qualified the NEET-2013, shall be eligible to apply for all seats, including NRI quota seats. The late notification of the Punjab Government disqualified hundreds of aspirants for NRI seats, who did not appear in the NEET.

BFUHS Vice-chancellor Dr SS Gill said admissions to medical courses in all the categories shall be based solely on the marks obtained in the NEET as per the instructions of the state government. The university will issue the eligibility certificate to only those who have obtained the qualifying marks in the NEET, said Dr Gill.

While several aspiring NRI medics criticised the MCI and the DCI for the ambiguity in the notification for the NRI quota seats, they termed the notification of the Punjab Government as discriminatory to NRI students as it was announced late, months after the NEET was conducted.

Fifteen per cent of the total seats in private medical and dental colleges are reserved under the NRI quota

Survey finds 804 cancer cases in Sangrur 
Sushil Goyal/TNS

Sangrur, June 23
The second phase of the statewide cancer survey was completed in Sangrur district. In this phase, people suspected to have the disease were to be examined.

Eight hundred and four of the several thousand suspected cancer patients were found to have cancer. Thirty two patients, who were referred to Government Medical College, Patiala, for re-examination, have not yet reported back. 

Sugarcane growers in Fazilka await payment of Rs 12 cr
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, June 23
Though the Punjab Government enhanced the state agreed price (SAP) of sugarcane by Rs 40 per quintal, it has failed to make the balance payment to the tune of about Rs 12 crore for the crushing season 2012-13 to cane growers of Fazilka. The season had ended in March.

The situation has arisen despite the assurance by Sugarfed chairman SS Wahla, who had announced that payments would be made within 72 hours of purchasing sugarcane, at the time of inaugurating the crushing season at the Fazilka Cooperative Sugar Mills on December 10, 2012.

"We were assured to make the payment immediately after procuring the sugarcane but we are yet to receive it. I had taken a loan to grow sugarcane, for which I have been paying interest," said Het Ram of Shajrana village.

Official sources said 40 per cent payment of the procured sugarcane was yet to be cleared by the sugar mill authorities. The mill had crushed 12.48 lakh quintal of sugarcane during the previous season. The farmers were to be paid Rs 31 crore against the procured produce. So far, the mill authorities have paid only Rs 19 crore. An amount of about Rs 11.84 crore was due to the farmers.

The managing director of a local mill, MS Sandhu, said, "It is a matter of days only as we hope to get the payment within a fortnight." 

Mystery shrouds man’s death

Abohar, June 23
Mystery shrouds the dramatic hanging of Vicky Singh, a daily-wage earner, near Panjpeer colony here. He had reportedly left his house at 5 am for a walk. After few hours, someone informed his father Jagsir Singh that his body was hanging from a branch of a tree.

A preliminary investigation indicated that the body was touching the ground and his clothes too were not in order. A team comprising three officials from different police stations has been formed to investigate. — OC