No Plastic Flags This Independence Day

Bhubaneswar: India celebrates 72^nd year of its independence from British colonialism. However, it is still not free from one of the most harmful materials- plastic. Drawing attention to the matter, this Independence Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory urging everyone to not use plastic flags as they do not easily decompose and pollute the environment.

Seasonal shops have been set up at many places in the city selling paper or cloth national flags at different prices. Tricolor badges, pins, rubber bracelets and paints are also a rage.

“People are not buying plastic flags anymore. Most of our customers are students and some of them said they have been asked to bring either paper or cloth flags by their school,” said a vendor in front of Rama Devi College.

This initiative is appreciated by both the vendors and customers. “I have sold a lot of cloth flags already, the sale of plastic flags has diminished. Neither we nor the customers go for paper flags as they get spoilt easily due to the rain,” said another vendor near XIMB Square.

The rain, he added, has created trouble for the vendors. Due to continuous rain, very few shops have been set in motion. Monsoon has dampened the enthusiasm of the people too. The Indian Meteorological Department has warned the state about heavy rainfall in more than 14 districts due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal for the next 48 hours.