Chhattisgarh food inspector Rajesh Kumar Vishwas has been ordered to pay a fine of ₹53,092, including a ₹10,000 penalty, for draining 4.1 million liters of water from a reservoir in Kanker district to search for his lost mobile phone.
The irrigation department issued an order stating that Vishwas drained the water without permission from the competent authority, which is considered a punishable offense under the Chhattisgarh Irrigation Act.
Vishwas, an inspector at the Kanker district food department, was on a picnic with friends at the Paralkot reservoir when his Samsung Galaxy S23 phone, worth ₹95,000, slipped and fell into the water.
Over the course of four days, Vishwas supervised the pumping out of the reservoir’s water, meant for irrigation purposes, to retrieve his submerged phone.
The irrigation department’s letter stated that Vishwas wasted 4,104 cubic meters of water, equivalent to 4.1 million liters, for personal reasons. He has been instructed to pay rs. 43,092 based on the rate of ₹10.50 per cubic meter of water, along with the additional penalty of ₹10,000 for evacuating the water without permission.
The incident raised concerns about Vishwas misusing his authority, as he emptied the reservoir to retrieve his phone. The Paralkot reservoir, also known as the Kherkatta check dam, is an important irrigation project in Kanker district. It was constructed in 1966 and became functional in 1981, providing water for irrigation across 9,717 hectares of land.
Kanker collector Priyanka Shukla has initiated an investigation into the incident and issued a show cause notice to Sub Divisional Officer (Water Resources Department) RC Dhivar for allegedly granting verbal permission to drain the water from the structure.
The case highlights the need for strict adherence to regulations and responsible use of resources, especially when it comes to public officials entrusted with safeguarding essential facilities.
