Odisha asks officials to prevent use of plastic national flag

In compliance with the order of Orissa High Court, the state government today directed all authorities concerned to prevent use of National Flag made of plastic in conformity with the provisions as contained in the Flag Code of India, 2002, official sources said.

The flag code provisions categorically said "The National Flag of India shall be made of hand spun and hand woven wool/ cotton/silk khadi bunting and paper."

"The state government also appealed to the public at large to cooperate for successful implementation of the order of the High Court," a home department official said.

The High Court bench of Chief Justice C Nagappan and Justice Indrajit Mohanti on August 14 wanted an assurance from the government if it could ensure a complete ban on the use of plastic and polythene Tricolours by Thursday, the day of this year's celebrations.

The order followed a petition filed by a High Court advocate Shivsankar Mohanty which had sought court's intervention on the ban on the sale and distribution of plastic and polythene National Flags and impose penalty on those who manufacture such items in contravention of the Flag Code.