Keeping in view the damage caused to the environment through the use of plastic and practical problems in disposing of the final product, the Ministry of Home Affairs has directed that national flags made only of paper be used during national, cultural and sports programmes.

According to directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs recently, flags made of paper should only be used at various occasions, as per Flag Code of India and then disposed off with due honour. They should not be thrown on the grounds or shown any other kind of disrespect, as detailed in the code.

A press release by the Ministry said the directions were being issued due to the fact that plastic products were non-biodegradable and hence, posed a problem for their disposal in an honourable way, as stipulated in the code. Environmentalists have repeatedly brought this to the notice of the government that miniature, national flags made of plastic, which are often waved during national and sports programmes, often end up on the ground and trampled under feet at the end of such programmes. Since, these do not tear up easily and are non-biodegradable, they continue to receive the disrespect over a long period of time, besides being a threat to environment.

This article originally appeared in the Times of India and on its website.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Use-national-flag-made-of-paper-plastic-is-non-biodegradable-MHA/articleshow/16557357.cms