In an amusing incident in India, Rajesh Vishwas, a food inspector, found himself in a predicament when he accidentally dropped his Samsung phone into the reservoir at the Kherkatta Dam during a routine inspection. While most people would accept the loss and move on, Mr. Vishwas was determined to recover his phone at any cost.
Utilizing his authority as a government official, he initially ordered a dive team to search for the phone, but unfortunately, their efforts were in vain — undeterred, Mr. Vishwas took matters into his own hands and, as noticed by the BBC News, decided to drain the reservoir using a diesel pump, with verbal permission from another official.
Kherkatta Reservoir, also known as Pakhanjore Reservoir, is a man-made lake about 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Pakhanjore in Chhattisgarh, India.(Image: “File:Kherkatta Dam.JPG” by Renuka sarkar)
Approximately two million liters of water were pumped out
Over the course of three days, approximately two million liters of water were pumped out, an amount sufficient to irrigate six square kilometers of farmland. Finally, the phone was retrieved, but due to its prolonged submersion, it had become non-functional.
Although the exact model of the Samsung phone was not disclosed, it is likely to be a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is priced at around $1,200 and has an IP68 rating — unfortunately, this rating only protects the phone in water up to a depth of 1.5 meters for a maximum of 30 minutes, making the chances of retrieving it in working condition extremely slim.
Mr. Vishwas’ unconventional mission came to an end when a water resource department official arrived to investigate following a complaint. As a result, Mr. Vishwas has been suspended pending an inquiry, as water conservation is of paramount importance.
While his determination is indeed admirable, it serves as a valuable reminder that we should be cautious with our belongings and prioritize the responsible use of resources.
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