Latur’s ‘jaldoot’ Parmeshwar Poul uses GIS to revive water in Marathwada

Parmeshwar Poul grew up carrying brass pots in drought-hit Khandali, Latur. In 2011 he moved to Pune for a GIS career, but returned in 2012 to tackle water scarcity at home.

Now a technical expert and Jaldoot, Poul has spent 14 years bringing satellite mapping and scientific planning to Marathwada. His MPhil mapped rooftops in Ahmedpur for rainwater harvesting. His PhD covered 123 villages, linking cropping patterns to groundwater health.

He introduced the ‘Water Budget’ concept in villages like Sheboli and Padi, helping communities track water like money.

At Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, 300+ recharge structures ended tanker reliance. Desilting 7 lakes added 334 million litres of storage. Police stations in Nanded got recharge systems, and a 450m trench now adds 15 million litres to groundwater yearly.

His low-cost C-Jal filter cleans rooftop water before it enters borewells. He has trained ∼160 Jalduts in Nanded to spread water literacy.

From a boy at the village well to a water ambassador, Poul’s work shows how science + community action can fight drought.