Considering fine against plastic flag makers: Govt tells HC

The Bombay High Court was today informed by the Maharashtra government that it was considering imposing penalty on manufacturers of plastic national flags.
This was informed to the division bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and A P Bhangale which was hearing a PIL filed by Hindu Janjagruti Samiti seeking strict implementation of the government resolution (GR) of August 2007, imposing a ban on the sale of plastic national flags.
Pursuant to court directions passed yesterday, the additional chief secretary, state Home department, was present in court today.
Additional government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani told the court that a policy decision has been taken to penalise manufacturers of plastic national flags. A proposal for the same would have to be sent to the central government for amendment in the law.

Vagyani also said that the government was creating public awareness on the 2007 circular banning use of plastic national flags.
The court, however, observed that despite the circular plastic flags are used. "Even after the circular if law is not followed then just creating public awareness is not sufficient. There is need for some action. Do you have any mechanism to ban it completely?" the court asked.

The bench has called for details and number of cases registered against people for use of plastic national flags post 2007.
According to 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 are non-compostable.

The petitioner said it was an insult to the national flag as its plastic variants lay strewn on streets after Independence Day and Republic Day.