February 27, 2002

    The visiting Vice-Chairman and Minister for Water and Electricity, Interim Administration of Afghanistan, Mr. Shaker Kargar called on his Indian counterpart Shri Arjun Charan Sethi, Union Minister for Water Resources here today. During the meeting the two sides recalled the age old relationship between the two countries and the commonality that they share in history.

    Shri Sethi assured the visiting Minister that India is keen to help Afghanistan regain normalcy so that it could stand and play its own vital role in the region.

    Mr. Kargar appreciating the role India had played till 1980 in the water resources development in Afghanistan, stressed the importance of water resources development in resurgence of Afghanistan. He stressed the need for reconstruction of the dams and irrigation systems, which have been vastly damaged. He hoped that with the cooperation and help of Indian Experts in water resource development, Afghanistan would be in a position to provide drinking water, irrigation and harness the potential of 23,000 MW of hydropower in that country.

    Mr. Kargar was eager that a team of Indian Water Resources Experts should immediately visit Afghanistan and chalk out a plan of action. The first step should be to rehabilitate the existing infrastructure already created.

    Shri Sethi assured that he would arrange a visit by the Indian Experts who shall prepare the rehabilitation plan and a long term master plan for development of water resources. The Indian side also showed its interest in training the Afghan Engineers on surface water and groundwater resource development as that alone could help Afghanistan to rebuild itself. Some of the engineers and technicians could be trained in the institute like National Water Academy in India while others can be provided site training in Afghanistan by the Indian Experts. Mr. Kargar expressed his keen interest in this important aspect for training of engineers from Afghanistan in batches in India every year. The Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources including Chairmen of WAPCOS and CWC were present during the discussion.

    The meeting ended with the two sides renewing their solidarity and expressing desire to reopen long term cooperation in the field of water resources development.