Dr. Sunil Chaturvedi leads water conservation through community-driven initiatives, groundwater recharge, and Jal Saksharta Abhiyan.
Dr Sunil Chaturvedi
For over three decades, hydrogeologist and social reformer Dr. Sunil Chaturvedi has worked to address the growing challenge of water security. Combining scientific expertise with community participation, he has led initiatives in groundwater recharge, watershed development, sanitation, and rural development across Madhya Pradesh, enabling thousands of farmers, students, and communities to actively participate in sustainable water conservation.
Jal Saksharta Abhiyan: Building Water Literacy
Dr. Sunil Chaturvedi currently leads Jal Saksharta Abhiyan (Water Literacy Campaign), a public awareness initiative aimed at educating citizens about the science and responsibility of water conservation. Through workshops, lectures, school programs, and community meetings, the campaign has reached over 35,000 students across schools, colleges, and universities in Madhya Pradesh. Students are encouraged to become “water ambassadors” who promote conservation practices in their communities.
To support the campaign, Dr. Chaturvedi authored the book “Jal,” published by Vijnana Bharati, explaining concepts such as groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, and water budgeting. He also developed the program “Pani Anmol” for school children, introducing water conservation through simple explanations and activity-based learning. He believes solving the water crisis requires informed citizens and active community participation.
Amrit Sanchay Abhiyan: A Community Movement
In 2023–24, Dr. Chaturvedi initiated Amrit Sanchay Abhiyan in Dewas, a large community-driven campaign focused on rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. The initiative quickly became a citywide movement involving citizens, local organizations, elected representatives, and district authorities. As a result of collective participation:
- More than 400 water conservation structures were constructed in Dewas
- Nearly 250 crore liters of rainwater were recharged into groundwater reserves
Inspired by this success, similar campaigns were later launched in other districts such as Khandwa.
The Dewas Roof Water Harvesting Model
One of Dr. Chaturvedi’s most significant contributions is the Dewas Roof Water Harvesting Model, developed during the severe water crisis faced by the industrial city of Dewas in the early 1990s. He proposed a simple but powerful idea: every rooftop could become a rainwater harvesting structure. Between 1999 and 2001, more than 2000 households adopted this system.
The results were remarkable:
- Around 50,000 cubic meters of groundwater recharge
- Borewell water levels increased by three to five meters
- Significant improvement in groundwater quality
A scientific study by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) later confirmed these improvements. The Dewas model was also recognized as Best Technology at an International Trade Fair and inspired similar initiatives in several cities. Dr. Chaturvedi later strengthened the model by developing the Horizontal Reverse Filter Technique, which allows rainwater to reach aquifers quickly while preventing contamination.
Reviving Rural Landscapes
Along with urban water solutions, Dr. Chaturvedi has worked extensively in watershed development programs across rural Madhya Pradesh. Through integrated watershed management combining soil conservation, water harvesting, and community participation, his initiatives have benefited over 75,000 farmer families across 150 villages in seven districts. These projects created irrigation facilities for nearly 35,000 hectares of rain-fed agricultural land, increasing farmer incomes and strengthening rural livelihoods.
Water, Sanitation and School Initiatives
Dr. Chaturvedi has also contributed to WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) programs in collaboration with organizations such as UNICEF. He helped train masons in building grey water reuse systems and ferrocement rainwater tanks. His team also designed a portable child-friendly handwashing unit that allows ten children to wash hands simultaneously while saving water and time. The grey water from these units is reused for urinals and school kitchen gardens.
Knowledge, Training and Community Participation
In 1997, Dr. Chaturvedi founded VIBHAVARI, an organization dedicated to community-based natural resource management. He also helped establish VIHAN (Village Institute for Human Advancement) near the Punasa Dam region, which has trained more than 10,000 farmers, NGO workers, and grassroots leaders in water conservation and sustainable agriculture. He strongly believes that water conservation must become a social movement. Through platforms such as Jal Yatra, Pani Chaupal, and Jal Jajem, communities come together to discuss water challenges and develop local solutions.
The Writer Behind the Water Movement
Alongside his scientific and social work, Dr. Sunil Chaturvedi is also a respected Hindi author whose writings explore social realities, environmental concerns, and the relationship between development and nature. His books include Mahamaya, Kalichaat, Ghafil, and Lapka, while his upcoming novel Tunnel focuses on environmental destruction in the Himalayas. His book Pani De Gud Dhani De received the Medini Award from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
Dr. Sunil Chaturvedi believes solving water scarcity requires science, policy support, and community participation to ensure sustainable water conservation.
Dr. Sunil Chaturvedi
Founder: VIBHAVARI – Organization working on community-based natural resource management.
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