Bombay High court directs Centre to impose ban on manufacturing of plastic flags by November

Bombay high court has directed union government to decide on banning the manufacturing of plastic Indian flags by November 30. Meanwhile, the court has directed Maharashtra government to issue circulars to all departments and educational institutions stating to refrain from using plastic made flags.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Girish Kulkarni directed the state government to constitute a committee at the tahshildar and district collector level to collect and dispose off flags with dignity.

The bench also told the state to give wide publicity before the Independence and Republic Day in all forms of media to inform people to refrain from using flags made of plastic. The directions were given during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Hindu Janjagruti Samiti seeking strict implementation of the government resolution (GR) of August 2007, imposing a ban on the sale of national flags manufactured of plastic. The bench also directed the Centre to take the decision by November so that it can be implemented by January 26, 2015.

The state and Central government have been directed to file a compliance report to the court on the steps taken on the issue by December 8. As per the petition, the government had on August 27, 2007 issued the GR imposing a complete ban on the sale and use of plastic national flags as they pollute the environment. The petitioner said it was an insult to the national flag, as it's plastic variants lay strewn on streets after Independence and Republic Day.