Bizarre incidents have been reported, leaving lasting impressions on those who witnessed or heard about them. A recent one was reported from Chhattisgarh when an official drained an entire reservoir to find a cell phone he dropped during a selfie.
Here’s How The Tale Goes
According to reports, Rajesh Vishwas is a food inspector of Koylibeda block. He had gone to the Kherkatta-Parlkot reservoir on Monday for a holiday. The food officer’s expensive phone fell into a 15 feet deep water in the Kherkatta-Parlkot reservoir. Vishwas then ordered workers to look for his phone, but they couldn’t find it. He then asked the water to be pumped out from the reservoir so that his phone could be fished out.
The selfie proved costly for a government official, who was suspended on Friday. The food officer had been a government servant for the past nine years now.
The phone was a Samsung S23 ultra worth ₹95,000. However, the phone was retrieved after 3 days. But it wasn’t working. In the effort that lasted for three days, 21 lakh litres of water was drained out. According to reports, it is enough to irrigate 1,500 acres of farmland.
He also said that the villagers helped him find his phone. The villagers, who dived could not find his phone due to dirt in the reservoir on the first go. They gave him advice on draining the water. The official said he believed there was a 99 per cent chance that his phone could be found.
Also Read: Ramdaha Waterfall In Chattisgarh Takes Life Of 6 Tourists
However, There’s A Twist To This Chhattisgarh Tale
A senior official from the Department of water resources, Chhattisgarh allegedly informed Vishwas that the water wasn’t used for anything, which is why he had a portion of it drained.
When the matter came to light, it was revealed the water level was down by over 10 feet. But, the official said efforts to drain the water using diesel pumps cost around ₹8,000 and no farmer was affected by his actions. He did recover his phone, which he claimed had important contacts, but it was no longer in working condition.
The officer also said that he had taken permission from his seniors. Now both the officers who gave verbal permission to drain the water, are in the dock. The food officer has been suspended and the senior has been asked to pay up for the colossal waste of water at the peak of summer.
What do you think of this bizarre Chhattisgarh incident?
Cover Image credits: Canva