IRS Officer’s weekend mission helps recharge water in drought-hit Telangana

Telangana: As offices emptied Friday evenings, Dr. P. Sudhakar Naik was boarding an overnight bus from Mumbai.

The Joint Commissioner in the Income Tax Department traveled more than 600 kilometers each weekend to Narayankhed, one of Telangana’s most drought-hit regions. By Monday morning, he was back at his desk in Mumbai.

For years, farmers in Narayankhed watched borewells run dry. Monsoon rain disappeared before it could replenish the land, leaving crops damaged and livelihoods uncertain.

Dr. Naik received no government directive. Working with environmentalist Paladugu Gnaneshwar, local officials, and villagers, he helped build community soak pits, farm ponds, and stone bunds using local materials. The structures slow rainwater, letting it sink into the ground and recharge the water table.

The model cost around Rs 2 lakh. At first, villagers were doubtful. But for seven weekends, Dr. Naik returned after overnight journeys to dig, lift stones, and work alongside them. “He never stood apart. He became part of the effort,” said one resident.

The hesitation gave way to trust. Today, rainwater that once rushed away is seeping back into the ground, bringing relief to farming families.