Chandigarh, May 22 -- Deciding to step up pressure on Punjab over the Bhakra water dispute, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Tuesday announced a blockade of the Punjab-Haryana border on May 25, warning that all vehicles bearing Punjab registration number plates would be stopped. The party threatened to escalate the protest by setting up permanent protest camps (morchas) along the border if Punjab fails to release the full quota of water to Haryana by June 1. Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the party's national and state executive bodies in Chandigarh, INLD national president Abhay Chautala accused the Punjab government of releasing only 5,000 cusecs of water instead of the agreed 9,000 cusecs from Bhakra. He said the shortfall had led to water crisis in Haryana, affecting not just irrigation but also drinking water for people and livestock. "We will not accept even one cusec less than 9,000 cusecs. If Punjab does not comply, we will begin permanent sit-in protests from June 1," Chautala declared. "On May 25, we will enforce a symbolic blockade of Punjab-Haryana border routes, and all vehicles with Punjab number plates will be stopped." HTC...