Chhattisgarh official empties irrigation reservoir to see phone dropped while taking selfie

Food Inspector Rajesh Vishwas has been suspended. District Collector Priyanka Shukla said in a press note that the matter is being investigated and appropriate action is being taken.

New Delhi: A food inspector in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district has been suspended after allegedly siphoning off 21 lakh liters of water from the Paralkot reservoir in search of his Rs 1.25 lakh mobile phone, which fell while clicking a selfie. .

District Magistrate Priyanka Shukla has issued the order of suspension of Food Inspector Rajesh Vishwas. In a press note, the District Collector said that the matter is being probed and appropriate action is being taken.

The incident took place on Sunday when Vishwas had gone for a swim with his friends at a dam built as part of an irrigation initiative.

According to local media reports, Vishwas had orally sought permission from the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) to draw 5 feet of water from the reservoir, whose level was more than 15 feet, claiming that the phone contained departmental information.

However, eventually 10 feet of water was pumped out, with two 30 horse power diesel pumps being deployed for the entire 3 days from Monday evening. The exercise – which, it turns out, was a purely private initiative with no government resources – was stopped only when the irrigation officer came to know about it and rushed to the spot.

The phone was finally received on Thursday, but it was not working due to water damage.

ThePrint reached Rajesh Biswas via call but his phone was switched off. Calls to District Collector Shukla remained unanswered.

A show cause notice has also been issued to the SDO in the matter.

reduced level effect

According to local media reports, when the phone first fell, Vishwas asked people in the vicinity to dive in and find it. But depth was an obstacle.

Then the operation started.

ThePrint accessed a video that purportedly shows the draining operation carried out to recover the phone. It shows divers going on a search as water is pumped from the reservoir.

An eyewitness told ThePrint that the water emptied from the reservoir was dumped into a drain, which is connected to the Deora river nearby.

Villagers in the surrounding areas told ThePrint over phone that 1,500 acres of land could have been irrigated by the withdrawal of water.

He also said that the dam is a source of water for the animals, adding that its low level will affect them as well.

A resident, who did not wish to be named, said, "People from nearby Matalakudum, Gotanbeda, Ujjavata villages keep coming to these areas for grazing their cattle." “Goats, cows and all animals come here to drink water as there is no other water facility nearby. Now that the water level is low, it will affect everyone.