ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: The National Security Council (NSC) has formally authorized President Gen Pervez Musharraf to announce construction of a big dam by the end of the next month.

Sources said on Friday that the president informed the NSC meeting held on Nov 25 that he intended to announce the construction of a dam without further delay and sought opinion from the members. The chief ministers of the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan and the governor of the NWFP agreed to the proposal and authorized him to make a formal announcement.

Accordingly, the president informed the meeting that he would visit Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP by end of the current month and meet elected government and opposition representatives to respond to their concerns directly and explain to them government's steps to handle their objections.

The head of a high-powered forum on water issues told Dawn that there was no proposal in writing at the government level at present to address provincial reservations on construction of Kalabagh dam, but Sindh has been advised to support the dam provided it is given written sureties or a formal agreement to satisfy its concerns on the subject.

The Sindh government has been advised to seek written sureties on three counts. First, the government should confirm in writing that there would be no outlet from the Kalabagh dam.

Second, the provincial irrigation needs would be given priority in case of water shortages and there would no releases from the dam for power generation in case of water shortage and that filling of the dam would start after an express consent of the smaller provinces as per their irrigation needs.

Third and the most important that Sindh would be given a reasonable share in the royalty of the Kalabagh dam. If the federal government gives firm commitment on these three counts, there was no point why the Sindh government would object to the construction of Kalabagh dam.

The sources said the technical committee on water resources was moving as swiftly as humanely possible to complete its deliberations on the construction of Kalabagh dam or Bhasha dam by mid-January although its deadline expires in February.

The sources said by the time the president completes his meetings with provincial leaders starting later this month, the report of the technical committee would be available with the government and then he would make a formal announcement by end of January or early February next year.

President Musharraf had announced constitution of two committees - parliamentary and technical - to develop consensus on the construction of big dams more than a year ago and had said on many occasions that a decision would be taken taking into confidence all the provinces.