The Chhattisgarh government has imposed a fine of Rs 53,092 on an official who allegedly drained out 41 lakh litres of water from a reservoir to retrieve his mobile phone.
The Water Resources department imposed the fine on Rajesh Vishwas, a food inspector posted in Pakhanjore area of Kanker district, an official said on Tuesday.
Vishwas was earlier suspended after the incident at Paralkot weir came to light.
In a letter to him, the department said he drained out water from the cistern of a waste weir using a diesel pump without seeking permission from the competent authority after his mobile phone fell into it.
This act was illegal under the Chhattisgarh Irrigation Act, it said.