KOZHIKODE: A district collector in

thought up an interesting way to solicit the help of the public for an environmental cause: make them an offer they can't refuse.

On January 8, Kozhikode district collector

posted a message on Facebook - he has 100,000 followers - asking the people of Koyilandy in Kozhikode to pitch in to clean the polluted Pisharikavu lake. In exchange, the collector offered to treat all volunteers to some delectable '

, a famous Malabar delicacy.

Duly enticed, Koyilandy's people turned up in force and cleaned the 57,000-square-metre lake on Tuesday, Republic Day. Prasanth, as he had promised, gratefully dished out heaps of Kozhikode biriyani to the volunteers.

Who paid for the biriyani? The collector used funds allocated for drought prevention to treat the volunteers who cleaned the lake.

Since taking over as Kozhikode district collector last February, Prasanth has developed a huge fan following, especially on Facebook which is his preferred mode of communication. He makes announcements, solicits help and discusses various schemes on his Facebook page in a language that's accessible, earthy and humorous. His addresses people who write to him as 'bhai' and in return gets called 'bro' and 'rockstar'.

Prasanth is often credited with cleaning up the district and ensuring that funds reach the people they are allocated for.

The Kerala government has for a while now been asking groups and residential associations to devise plans to clean water bodies near them. The government has even offered financial help for the clean-up.

Perhaps all it takes is some Kozhikode biriyani.