BAHAWALNAGAR, June 8: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has declared 43 villages of Bahawalnagar district as calamity hit and exempted farmers from agricultural income tax and abiana of the Rabi crop 2004-2005. The district was badly affected by the recent rain spell and hailstorm. A total of 43 calamity-affected areas include 21 villages of Chishtian, nine of Minchinabad and 13 of Fort Abbas tehsils.

In Chishtian tehsil, the affected villages include, 3/FW, Chishtian, Bedana Shariq, Taba Balochan, Bhak, Sohali Sharqi, Mehtabpur, Mangheran Sharif, Rehman Shah, Theengi Balocha and Sodha. The Minchinabad tehsil includes Dhenganwali, Samoonwali, Dab-wali Sharqi, Amorka, Bhoja Jogga, Pataka Chak, Ahmad Yar Chishti.

In Fort Abbas tehsil, the calamity-hit villages are: 274/HR, 279/HR, 281/HR, 283/HR, 284/HR, 285/HR, 286/HR, 295/HR, 296/HR, 296/HR Alaf, 297/HR, 304/HR and Romana. — Correspondent