The organisation of the 51st Kerala State School Arts Festival has scripted a milestone in the history of the annual cultural extravaganza.
The degree of success that has been attained through proper management can only be gauged by the numerous challenges faced by the high-profile event in the district.
Among the major apprehensions that had cropped up prior to organising the fete was the predicament of traffic congestion within the town that has remained an issue for motorists for a long time. However, elaborate arrangements that had been adopted ensured the smooth flow of traffic especially during the cultural procession held on the concluding day of the festival. A separate force that included 600 NCC cadets and 400 student police cadets, among others, was deployed at various stretches to regulate normality on road.
The arts festival will be remembered for the active participation of various bodies. “The effective utilisation of infrastructural resources was a highlight of the organisation of the event. In addition to the efforts of the Education Department and the district authorities, the tremendous amount of fieldwork done by the 18 sub-committees and nearly 1,500 teachers ensured the success of the event,” says Director of Public Instruction (DPI) A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, the general co-ordinator of the event.
District Collector Mini Antony corroborates the same. “Various bodies performed beyond their allotted responsibilities in a fine show of collective participation,” says Ms. Antony.
Punctuality features among the other talking points of the festival.
“Competitions were conducted within stringent timeframes and efforts were made not to deviate from the schedule,” says V.N. Vasavan, M.L.A., member of the organising core committee.
The other arrangements like food and accommodation have also come in for showers of praise. Transportation proved vital in taking the participants and others to the food pavilion that was set up at the Nehru stadium.
The festival was not spared its share of shortcomings.
Technical flaws arose at certain venues that led to minor chaos.
