According to an official of the Revenue Department, these requests turn the normally staid pages of government officials into lively forums.
Published Jul 19, 2024 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 19, 2024 | 8:00 AM
Rains
As the southwest monsoon wreaked havoc in Kerala with heavy rains, a different kind of deluge is unfolding online.
This isn’t about the actual rainfall, but rather a lively surge of requests, mostly from students and sometimes from parents, eager for a holiday from school.
These young voices are swarming the social media pages of district collectors, turning these platforms into dynamic spaces filled with dialogue, humour, and community interaction.
When the monsoon clouds gather and the skies turn a moody gray, students across Kerala gear up for a different kind of dance – the digital rain dance.
Smartphones in hand, they flock to social media, where district collectors’ pages become the stage for their playful pleas for a holiday.
“I am announcing that the educational institutions of Idukki will remain closed today. The District Collector’s order in this regard will follow,” reads one post.
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While another cheekily declares, “Let the power of Thiruvananthapuram be shown by declaring the holiday first before Kannur or Kozhikode attempts the same.”
In another post, a parent, out of desperation said, “In the 90s, a kid was there who wanted to have a special class in the school on Sundays too. And that’s none other than our Ernakulam district collector.” (remarked when Ernakulam didn’t feature in the list of districts which announced holiday for educational institutions due to rain).
There were also posts by parents who shared the photos of their children watching news channels and gluing their eyes to the official Facebook page of district collectors, all for hearing/seeing that joyful information – ‘tomorrow will be a holiday.’
According to an official of the Revenue Department, these requests, often accompanied by creative memes, GIFs, and even photos of rains, turn the normally staid pages of government officials into lively forums.
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The students’ demands range from straightforward to the downright hilarious, with some invoking the dialogues of popular movies to add weight to their pleas.
The district collectors, far from being annoyed, have embraced this digital symphony with a blend of wit, wisdom, and warmth.
Their responses, crafted with a keen understanding of their young audiences, strike a balance between humour and responsibility.
One such post was from the Alappuzha District Collector’s where he shared the image of a child crying with the caption, “Guys, tomorrow will not be a holiday.”
District collectors, far from being fazed by this digital downpour, are embracing the playful spirit. Some have responded with equally witty posts, while others have taken a more informative approach.
However, the underlying message of the two approaches is that it reminded students to leave the rain worries to the officials while urging the youngsters to focus on their studies.
At the same time, the situation escalated to the point where one district collector had to post a lengthy message, as her Facebook page was inundated with messages from students pleading for a holiday.
It wasn’t just online; her official mobile phone rang incessantly with calls from students, especially in the evenings. They wanted to know if the next day would be a holiday due to the torrential rains.
An excerpt from the post of Palakkad District Collector
When this unexpected onslaught of calls started to cause significant disruption to her official duties, Palakkad District Collector Dr S Chithra IAS came out with a piece of advice for these holiday hunters.
In a post on 17 July, Chithra appreciated the students’ enthusiasm and the fact that they were raising their demands independently—a true sign of growth in a democratic society.
She expressed her delight in seeing young individuals voice their small demands at such an early age.
However, she explained that the decision to grant a holiday is not being taken lightly.
It involved careful consideration of multiple factors: the alerts from the Meteorological Department, the condition of rainfall in each taluk assessed by the Tahsildars, the safety of bridges, the water levels in the rivers, and the extent of waterlogging. All these elements were evaluated before deciding to close schools due to the rains.
The district collector highlighted the challenges she faced, mentioning that her official mobile phone received hundreds of calls daily from students asking for leave.
This was particularly difficult during evenings when she needed to communicate with people’s representatives or officials about rain-related issues. She pointed out that this constant influx of calls created a lot of difficulty for her and her team.
She assured the students and parents that, regardless of whether a holiday was declared, all necessary precautions regarding safety would be taken.
She promised that any decision to grant leave would be communicated swiftly through the press and social media. She concluded her message by requesting students as well as their parents to refrain from calling her official mobile phone to ask for holidays, as it caused unnecessary inconvenience.
One thing is certain: the Kerala monsoon may bring a physical downpour, but it has also unleashed a vibrant digital one. This playful exchange between students and district collectors highlights the power of social media to foster community spirit, even in the face of a downpour.
(Edited by Neena)
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