Kottayam: The Thiruvalla Municipality has drawn the ire of social media users, including few popular ones, for issuing a show-cause notice to eight of its employees who filmed an 'Insta-Reel' while working on a Sunday.

IAS officer Prasanth N, popularly known as 'Collector Bro', and environmental management expert Dr Muralee Thummarukudy have given some stick to the local body for threatening disciplinary action against the employees who had a little fun at work.

Thummarukudy, who is the Operations Manager of the Crisis Management Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme, had some words of advice for the municipality. “Instead of threatening them with a show-cause notice, they should be encouraged to be the face of changing government offices,” Thummarukudy posted on Facebook.

Prasanth echoed the views: “Let such employees, who wholeheartedly work without minding the overtime, enjoy what they do.” The 'Collector Bro', who is a Special Secretary to the state government, is certain the 'creativity' showcased by these employees has more quality in it “than the activities of some higher-ups who do as they please at work, in the name of work, and at the workplace”. He summed up his post by bringing to attention the 'three unique qualities of Malayalis' -- “jealousy, envy, sarcasm”.

In their defence, the employees had said the Reel was filmed during a recess. They have been given three days to respond in writing or face disciplinary action.