Karzai promises dam, other facilities for Nimroz

ZARANJ (PAN): President Hamid Karzai promised on Wednesday to upgrade southwestern Nimroz province and launch work on the Kamal Khan dam in the near future.

During a visit to the province, Karzai met local officials and locals. Participants briefed the presidents about problems the area people faced, including lack of potable water, medical facilities, a mosque and a dam.

In his speech, Karzai said the status of Nimroz would be raised from third to second grade and work on a hospital and a water dam would be initiated soon.

A contract for construction of the dam would be signed shortly with a company, Karzai said. About 40 percent of work on the Kamal Khan dam, launched in 1973, had been completed.

With the construction of the dam, electricity needs of Nimroz and Helmand residents would be met and huge tracts of farmland irrigated. The dam will play a key role in the promotion of agriculture.

Karzai was accompanied by Minister of Education Ghulam Farooq Wardak, Minister of Water and Energy Ismail Khan and his security advisor, Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

Two years back, the president visited Nimroz, where he inaugurated the Zaranj-Dilaram highway.

frm/mud

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