BANGALORE: Karnataka is staring at an imminent

water crisis

as the drought condition continues to worsen.

"The situation is the worst in five years. Water levels in irrigation dams have reduced drastically. Tankers and pushcarts are supplying water in villages and towns, but the government is busy with budget and elections," said a senior official at the

Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority

.

Sounding alarm bells, the state administration said 7,500 villages are in the grip of water shortage and about 15,000 villages could be affected in summer. "If there is not enough rain by March, the state will effectively run out of water, with major reservoirs facing rapidly declining water levels," admitted municipal administration minister

Balachandra Jarkiholi

.

Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore have sounded a red alert by cautioning the residents to reuse water because of dwindling storage levels at Krishnarajasagar and Kabini dams. Hubli-Dharwad are already rationing the water.

Though water level at Thumbe dam is to the brim, Mangalore's concern is that of distribution. The

Mangalore City Corporation

recently made it mandatory for water tankers to install GPS (global positioning system) to ensure fair distribution of water in all areas.

Water-management experts predict a dark future if the state government doesn't take steps early to tackle the crisis. "The waiting period is over now. It's time to take action. Reservoirs are at dangerous levels as rain has been scanty. We should not wait for April first week to announce contingency plans in the affected areas," said former water resources minister H K Patil.