In the sun-drenched landscapes of Maharashtra, where the land often thirsts for just a drop of rain, drought is a relentless visitor. Its aftermath is all too familiar — parched fields, failed crops, and, for too many farmers, a desperate turn to unthinkable acts of taking their lives.
With the farmers of Marathwada and Khandesh bearing its brunt, year after year, a sombre saga unfolded here in 2016. Drought had gripped the state, hitting its agrarian communities with a ferocious intensity. Farmers saw not only their fields drying but also their dreams.
Among the voices echoing the emptiness left by deceased rains, the suicide of a farmer in North Maharashtra struck a personal chord with an IRS officer, Ujjwa Kumar Chavan. Moved by this tragedy and the collective cries from his homeland, he found himself compelled to act.
Amid a successful career in the Indian Revenue Service and a promising life ahead, the silent plea of his drought-stricken homeland was a call he could not ignore. It was during a visit to his village around the same time that he decided to spearhead an initiative that would harness the power of water conservation to change lives.
Building hope, one drop at a time
With a vision to alter the course of his drought-stricken village, Ujjwa embarked on an ambitious water conservation project. His plan involved constructing a reservoir capable of storing 10 core litres of water. But what began as a prototype soon blossomed beyond expectations — the initiative yielded a water reserve of 14 crore litres, infusing hope and vitality into the village’s barren veins.
The endeavour’s success sparked a movement, inspiring neighbouring villages to take up the mantle and extend the network of water conservation efforts.
Villages that fought back, together
This wasn’t just a personal victory. “For the first time, I experienced the joy of collective success,” he reflects. By 2018, his work expanded to six more villages, with a community-driven effort building over 60 small check dams. “The transformation was amazing. By July 2018, all reservoirs were full,” he shares.
By 2019, as Ujjwa expanded the initiative, he also assembled a dedicated volunteer group known as ‘Panch Patil’. Based on personal leadership and shared vision, these volunteers forge human connections, fostering self-reliance among farmers. It’s a model that decentralises success, relying on villagers’ intrinsic motivation to manage and maintain their water resources.
This team, composed largely of like-minded farmers, teachers, and government officials, worked tirelessly over weekends, channeling their collective spirit to sustain the project over time.
Pankaj Pawar, one of the Panch Patils hailing from Dhamangon, tells The Better India, “I have been working as Panch Patil since 2018. We take responsibility for five villages, hence the name Panch Patil. From raising awareness in villages, and establishing pani samitis (water committees) to catch the surface runoff water, which is collected and helps farmers in irrigation facilities. Usually, we grow kapas (cotton), maize, and jowar. They would face immense water difficulties, and water of the monsoon would only last till November or October; now it lasts up to March, so an extra two to three months.
Explaining the team’s dedication, Ujjwa says, “We have no monetary gains. It’s purely about giving back.”
The Johad Method: Bringing rivers back to life
His team adopted the Johad water conservation method pioneered by the water conservationist Rajendra Singh. In this, a small earthen check dam is designed to capture and store rainwater. These structures help provide a reservoir of water during dry months and greatly enhance groundwater recharge through improved percolation.
Following this method, the officer has built 500 crore litres of water storage across 204 villages, combating both droughts and floods. This, he says, is cultivating resilience among approximately 6,000 direct beneficiaries. The small ponds and check dams embedded across the landscape have significantly increased water storage capacity, but the implications are deeper and broader.
Transforming lives beyond water
“Economically, this project has doubled the income of farmers in participating villages, reducing reliance on purchased fodder and invigorating allied industries like dairy farming. The sociological effects reverberate through improved health and education standards, as families reinvest earnings into their future. Environmentally, the project has rejuvenated once-dry rivers and restored biodiversity,” highlights Ujjwa.
The impact of his work has not only drawn national attention but has also caught the eye of international bodies, including the United Nations Water Conference. Nevertheless, the most stirring endorsements come from within the fields where lives have found new water-fed roots.
One farmer who benefitted from the initiative shared an emotional moment with the officer. “Unable to feed his family due to water scarcity, his situation changed when the conservation project filled his wells. He ran to us carrying marigold saplings, overwhelmed with gratitude,” recounts Ujjwa.
Ujjwa has not only altered the fate of many Maharashtra villages but has also gifted them a legacy that stretches beyond the immediate — an example of what collective action can achieve when led by empathy and unwavering resolve.
Ujjwa also envisions long-term impacts: “Rivers that once dried up now flow longer, and biodiversity is returning. With agricultural viability restored, reverse migration has become a reality, showing the broader socioeconomic benefits of the project.”
Now working outside the government in the law industry, he remains dedicated to his mission: building sustainable water management systems and creating community leaders. “This project is a part of my soul,” says the former IRS officer, aware that his legacy will be defined not by posts but by the water his initiatives brought back to life.
Ujjwa’s initiative, expanding to 204 villages in Maharashtra, illustrates how personal resolve combined with community spirit can bring about real change!
Edited by Megha Chowdhury; All images courtesy Ujjwa Kumar Chavan
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