Imagine having to walk more than a kilometre every time you need to bring home drinking water. On a hot summer day, even filling a few pots can mean a tiring journey, with no guarantee that there will be enough water for everyone at home.

For years, this was a reality for families in Wadji, a village in Maharashtra’s Washim district. Residents travelled up to 1.5 km to fetch drinking water, a struggle made harder during the summer months when water sources became scarce.

But what if the answer to their water problem was all around them, quite literally, in the air they breathe?

That is the idea behind Meghdoot, a machine that draws moisture from the air and turns it into drinking water. Installed in Wadji, the technology can produce up to 500 litres of purified water a day, offering the village a new source of water without having to rely entirely on wells or groundwater.

Even a pot of drinking water meant a long walk

Wadji, home to nearly 2,000 people, is among the communities in Vidarbha grappling with water scarcity. The challenge extends beyond the village. According to Central Ground Water Board reports, nearly 40 villages in Risod taluka fall under the semi-critical groundwater category.

For residents, the problem becomes particularly........

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