The world is full of strange news, and this one is not an exception. In India, a government official accidentally dropped his phone into a dam while taking a selfie. This simple mistake had a significant impact as the search for his lost phone led to the draining of over two million liters of water from the reservoir. The worst part? Well, the officer did retrieve his Samsung phone. But to his wonder, the waterlogged mobile phone did not turn on.
Times / The weirdest part is that Rajesh Vishwas was left amazed when he figured out that the waterlogged phone does not turn on.
Join us as we delve into this story and explore the consequences that follow it.
The Search Was On
We all know that feeling when we lose something we consider valuable, and it appears impossible to retrieve it. This was the case for Rajesh Vishwas, a food inspector who dropped his Samsung smartphone into the Kherkatta dam near Raipur, in the state of Chhattisgarh, India.
Hindustan Times / The food inspector asked local authorities to empty the dam - of 2 million liters of water - citing "sensitive official data" in the plunged phone.
With the phone, he allegedly lost sensitive government data which forced him to take immediate action to recover the smartphone.
From Divers to Fuel Pumps
Upon realizing that divers could not find the lost phone, the inspector took to the next course of action: He requested the dam be emptied. Over the course of three days, authorities used diesel pumps to remove more than two million liters of water from the dam, enough water to irrigate over 1,500 acres of land.
Millions of liters of water gone in a matter of days because a phone was lost.
The Consequences of Draining Reservoirs
Most people may not know the long-term effects of draining a reservoir, be it man-made or natural. According to local media reports, the water levels in the dam were reduced drastically. Thus, leaving local farmers uncertain about their crops, given the significant decrease in water for irrigation.
BBC / According to local media, the water could have been enough to irrigate 15,000 acres of land. And that in a country that suffers from water scarcity.
So, the drainage of reservoirs depletes the ecosystem and disrupts the local economy built around the resource. Ultimately, causing environmental losses and damaging the local economy.
Public Outrage & Condemnation
The search for one man's lost phone has sparked public outrage and condemnation in India. People cannot imagine how someone could be so careless as to take a selfie and lose a phone. All without considering the consequences.
Although it might seem like a small action, it adds to a growing list of environmental crises caused by human activities.
The Final Word
In a moment of carelessness, government officials could easily cause irreparable harm to people, animals, and the environment as a whole. Humans are the greatest contributors to environmental disasters.
As India faces increasing environmental challenges, officials need to ensure that the mistakes of one individual do not negatively impact millions of people. Thus, the loss of a mere phone should not result in the irreversible loss of millions of liters of water. Especially, in countries with a limited water supply - like India.
