Dehsabz City

The 10-member urban planning team from Afghanistan came to Hidco today. They are designing the new city called Dehsabz city, to the north of Kabul. "Dehsabz means Green Village", explained Team Leader Mr Ahmadi Mumtaz Ahmad. It will be designed for 3 million people over 700 sq km area. Did they have the land already? No, said Ahmad, the Dehsabz City Development Authority was trying to assemble land but the tribal leaders are possessive of their land holdings because "that is where the bones of their fathers rested". I felt that certain sentiments just resonate across borders throughout humanity.
I, on my part, opined that perhaps 700 sq km for 3 million people would produce a sprawl that would not be environment friendly. Providing security would also be a problem. I advocated a more dense city.
Here is a picture taken by my OSD Kalyan Sen on my Sony h55:

Afghan Delegation at Hidco
At Right: JICA representative; beside him, in dark blue shirt is Ahmad

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Today is Rakhi. While I was discussing Rabindra Tirtha inauguration program with Hon'ble Chief Minister at her chamber in Writers' Buildings, she tied a Rakhi on my right wrist. And also gave me a home made 'narkel naru' to eat ! Here is the rakhi that she tied (I took the photo with my left hand, in the car, on my way back)

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Here is a clipping from today's Bartaman: