LAHORE, Jan 11: The city government has recommended to the federal government to declare the border areas of Lahore a calamity stricken zone in view of the Indian war build up.

District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood said this while announcing creation of a Rs20 million relief fund for the residents of border area villages during the tour of Union Council villages Qila Jeevan Singh, Thehpura and Chandher on Friday.

He said all the taxes payable by the residents of the border area villages would be waived in the event of the acceptance of the city government recommendation by the federal government. The city government had already waived its taxes.

The Nazim said 150 Lahore union councils would provide Rs15 million for the relief fund while the city government would contribute the remaining Rs5 million.

He said the government would pay the cost of the crops to the farmers whose land was being used for defence purposes. The revenue department had already started survey of such lands for the purpose.

Mian Amer said the city government had also recommended waiving of interest on the Small Business Finance Corporation and Agricultural Development Bank loans and discontinuation of arrests of farmers unable to pay back loan instalments in time. It had also asked Wapda not to disconnect the power connections in border areas due to non-payment of bills.

He said the Utility Stores Corporation had started selling commodities in the border areas through its mobile teams. Medicines and first aid facilities were also being provided by mobile teams in the border areas. Alternate teaching arrangements would be made for the secondary school students in view of the closure of the schools.

He said the Lahore Civil Defence Organization had been reorganized for dealing with any emergency. The fire brigade had been reorganized too and recruitment of 34,000 civil defence volunteers would begin next week.