NEW DELHI, Feb 9: A signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] for the construction of Lalandar [Shatoot] Dam in Afghanistan was held through video telecommunication on Tuesday. The MoU was signed by the external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Afghanistan counterpart Hanif Atmar in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.
The project is a part of the New Development Partnership between India and Afghanistan. The Lalander [Shatoot] Dam would meet the safe drinking water needs of Kabul City, provide irrigation water to nearby areas, rehabilitate the existing irrigation and drainage network, aid in flood protection and management efforts in the area, and also provide electricity to the region.
This is the second major dam being built by India in Afghanistan, after the India- Afghanistan Friendship Dam [Salma Dam], which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister and the President in June 2016. Signing of the MoU on Lalandar [Shatoot] Dam is a reflection of India’s strong and long-term commitment towards the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and the enduring partnership between the two countries. As a part of Development Cooperation with Afghanistan, India has completed more than 400 projects covering all 34 provinces of Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister, in his remarks in the virtual meeting highlighted the civilisational relationship between India and Afghanistan and gave an assurance of India’s continued support for a peaceful, united, stable, prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan.
Both Modi and Ashraf Ghani agreed that the development of a terror-free zone was necessary in the region. Modi said, “Both India and Afghanistan want to see the region free of terrorism.” and expressed concern about the increasing violence in Afghanistan and that India supports a comprehensive ceasefire in the country.
In response Ghani said, “A sovereign and united Afghanistan is essential to South Asia’s prosperity, connectivity and stability. Peace is the central desire of Afghan people but, that peace must be a peace that ends violence and not becomes a preface in chapter to another tragedy.”
(Venkatesh Iyer)
