In Khandali, a modest village in Latur, the red earth splits under the punishing summer sun, its silence broken by the clang of brass pots at the village well.
Among those waiting in line once stood a boy, his arms aching from carrying heavy brass pots home. That boy was Parmeshwar Poul.
In 2011, he left for Pune, where a career in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) offered stability and opportunity. But memories of growing up in a drought-prone village—where every pot of water was hard-earned—never left him.
Just a year later, in 2012, he returned to Khandali.
His journey was not towards comfort, but back to the drought-stricken landscape that had shaped his childhood. He believed science could help communities live with water scarcity rather than simply endure it.
Today, 14 years later, his work in water conservation has transformed villages, campuses, rivers, and communities across Marathwada.
Turning maps into movements
Poul’s return was more than a personal homecoming—it went against the tide.
While many left rural Maharashtra in search of better opportunities, he chose to return, bringing satellite mapping, hydrological surveys, and scientific planning to villages where wells routinely ran dry.
Working as a technical expert and Jaldoot (Water Ambassador), Poul helped implement water conservation projects across the region.
His MPhil research focused on mapping rooftops across Ahmedpur to design rainwater harvesting systems for households that received water only once every eight days.
For his PhD, he expanded the work to 123 villages, studying local water sources and recommending cropping patterns and groundwater-use practices that combined scientific analysis with traditional knowledge.
One of the ideas he introduced was the Water Budget.
“In Sheboli and Padi, he introduced the concept of a Water Budget,” recalls farmer Balasaheb Deshmukh.
“We count our rupees every day—why not our water?”
What began as a simple calculation gradually became a community habit, helping villages make informed decisions about how much water they could safely use.
Working as a technical expert and Jaldoot (Water Ambassador), Poul helped implement water conservation projects across the region.
At Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, check dams, ponds, recharge structures, and reservoirs transformed the campus landscape.
Across seven lakes in Nanded and Nashik districts, farmers removed nearly 334,000 cubic metres of nutrient-rich silt, which was spread across farmland to improve soil fertility while increasing the lakes’ storage capacity.
Since one cubic metre equals 1,000 litres, the desilting alone created additional storage for roughly 334 million litres of water. Combined with other rainwater harvesting initiatives, the work significantly strengthened local water security.
Across Marathwada, recharge pits, contour trenches, rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, and innovations such as the low-cost C-Jal (Bhujaldhara) filter and tree-root irrigation demonstrated how locally available materials could improve groundwater recharge and drinking water quality.
“He moves tirelessly across Marathwada, village after village, carrying the message of water conservation,” says Prof Dr Rajendra Shrimant Ingale.
“From farm ponds and stream deepening to afforestation and river revival, his interventions have left a visible mark. What makes these efforts remarkable is the way he brings together local representatives, administrators, social organisations, schools, and colleges, turning conservation into a collective mission.”
Ingale’s case study on water management in Shemboli village, guided by Poul, won first place among entries from 24 universities at the 2018 Avishkar Research Festival, sponsored by Maharashtra Raj Bhavan.
Innovation rooted in tradition
For Poul, innovation has always been about making solutions simple, affordable, and practical.
One such example is the C-Jal (Bhujaldhara) filter, built using locally available materials to improve the quality of rainwater entering borewells.
For Poul, innovation has always been about making solutions simple, affordable, and practical.
By filtering rooftop rainwater before it reaches the borewell, the system improves both the physical and biological quality of the water. Affordable, easy to clean, and simple to replicate, it has since been installed in homes across villages and towns. The first installation was at the District Collector’s residence, helping build confidence in the locally developed innovation.
At Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Poul and his colleagues also proposed the Green University concept.
With the support of the Vice-Chancellor, the campus built more than 300 rainwater harvesting structures, including ponds, check dams, recharge pits, trenches, and percolation systems.
Together, these interventions substantially increased groundwater recharge and created the capacity to store hundreds of millions of litres of water, helping solve the university’s long-standing water shortages.
The campus no longer relied on expensive water tankers during the summer, saving lakhs of rupees every year.
Thousands of trees were planted, and the initiative later earned recognition from the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Cities, rivers, and classrooms
Poul’s work extended well beyond farms.
Working alongside police officials and NGOs as a technical expert, he helped install borewell rainwater recharge systems at the Nanded Police Headquarters and police stations in Ardhapur, Limbgaon, and Malakoli.
These systems ensured year-round water availability, helped protect mature trees during periods of drought, and improved groundwater recharge.
Working alongside police officials and NGOs as a technical expert, he helped install borewell rainwater recharge systems at the Nanded Police Headquarters and police stations in Ardhapur, Limbgaon, and Malakoli.
He also helped build a 450-metre recharge trench capable of holding 75,000 litres of water, which now replenishes an estimated 15 million litres of groundwater every year.
Wastewater treatment systems were installed at police colonies, while drinking water purification systems capable of treating around 6,000 litres per day improved access to safe water.
Along the Godavari River, Poul led regular Sunday clean-up drives, turning riverbanks into open-air classrooms where environmental responsibility was taught through action.
In schools, he promoted water literacy, encouraging children to see geography not simply as maps and textbooks, but as something deeply connected to everyday life.
Jalduts: water ambassadors
The word Jaldut literally means messenger of water.
Over the years, Poul has trained hundreds of volunteers—including students, farmers, teachers, civic workers, and community members—to spread awareness about water conservation.
Over the years, Poul has trained hundreds of volunteers—including students, farmers, teachers, civic workers, and community members—to spread awareness about water conservation.
In Nanded district alone, around 160 Jalduts now conduct workshops, demonstrate rooftop rainwater harvesting, promote pollution-free practices, and encourage communities to use water more responsibly.
By putting people at the heart of conservation, the Jaldut movement has helped turn scientific ideas into everyday action.
