CHANDIGARH, May 2 -- Amid the ongoing slugfest over Bhakra water share between Haryana and Punjab Chief Ministers the union government has called an urgent meeting in Delhi to defuse the escalating water-sharing dispute.

It is learnt that the union government has called the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh for a meeting in Delhi on Friday to resolve the issue over the Bhakra Beas Management Board's (BBMB) directive to release an additional 8,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra Dam to Haryana. Sources said that the Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan will chair the meeting, attended by the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

With Punjab's Chief Secretary is on leave, Ad...