PESHAWAR, Jan 24: The NWFP government on Saturday notified some regions of the province as calamity-hit areas.

According to a notification issued here, the areas declared calamity hit included Paroa and Paharpur tehsils of the Dera Ismail Khan district, revenue circles of Charsadda, Tangi and Utmanzai in the Charsadda district, areas growing sugarcane in Peshawar, Mardan and Takhat Bhai tehsils of the Mardan district.

These areas have been exempted from payment of water tax, land revenue, agriculture income tax, etc. for one year, i.e. up to Dec 31.

It was reported that the areas declared calamity affected had been badly affected due to cold weather in 2007-08.

EXAM HALL: Federal Minister for Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi has announced that an examination hall will be set up for girls pursuing higher secondary level education so that they do not have to travel to distant places.

The minister said the government would provide support to educational institutes of pubic and private sectors in the Bara tehsil of the Khyber Agency. He also called for strict disciplinary action against teachers who had been absent for long periods.

The minister was speaking at a gathering at the Government High School in Jan Khan Kalay in the Qamberkhel area of Bara on Saturday, said a press release issued here. Elders of the area attended the meeting.

He said the government wanted to solve problems of the education sector, especially problems faced by female students.

The minister also gave an assurance to arrange training courses, furniture and equipment for government and private schools. He assured the people of Jan Khan Kalay that the high school would be upgraded and scholarships would be restored to the Khyber Agency.

He also told the meeting that Rs1.5 billion had been allocated for tribal areas from the fund of the Ministry of Environment.

The minister also highlighted the threats posed by US drone attacks to the regional peace and stability, the press release said.