BANGALORE, Nov. 27. Water wards will be inevitable worldwide in the next 25 years, the former United Nations Under Secretary, Prof. A. Ramachandran, said on Monday. He was addressing delegates at the inauguration of a three-day symposium on "Restoration of lakes and wetlands" at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here.

Prof. Ramachandran called for a "universal policy" on water, especially fresh-water management. According to him, sharing of water from the River Jordan was the main reason for disputes in West Asia.

Closer home, Prof. Ramachandran pointed to Karnataka as another likely target for "water wars". "You have farmers in Mandya opposing the supply of fresh water to Mysore," he said.

He also criticised India's water management system saying that it was controlled by too many departments - Irrigation, Agriculture, Public Works and Dams Authority. He believed that a uniform water policy had to be evolved to cater to all sections of society - farmers, industrialists, domestic onsumers and so on.

Prof. Rajasekhara Murthy from the IISc. criticised Bangalore's drainage system. He said that the city's geography had led to its insufficient drainage facility.