India, May 23 -- Once an arid landscape, Taparpura & Machakhurd in Shivpuri distirct have been transformed into lush green fields

It was the end of March and the temperature had already soared high, as the short-lived springtime rolled into the scorching summer months in the small village of Taparpura.

Located at a remote corner of the Pohri Block of Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh, Taparpura was one of the many villages that perennially suffered from an acute water shortage during the summer. Agricultural work was out of the question, since all ponds and local water bodies went dry and village folks had no other option than to migrate to the nearby cities in search of odd jobs, just to sustain their lives.

But this year, it was di...