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Prayagraj officials set to ensure proper disposal of Tricolours after August 15
National flags made of paper must not be thrown on the ground after being used by the public. They must be discarded privately with due regard to dignity. It should be noted that the national flag is a symbol of pride and its dignity should be maintained even while disposing of it, officials say.
PRAYAGRAJ: Amid grand plans to make the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ initiative from August 11 to 17 a success, officials here are also making special efforts to ensure that the set protocol for showing due respect and preserving the honour and dignity of the national flag is observed by all participating government departments, schools, colleges and individuals.
District magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri has instructed officials to strictly adhere to the legal instructions that guide use of the Indian National Flag, including the ‘Flag Code of India, 2002’ and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
The flag code of India consolidates all instructions, laws, practices and conventions connected to the display of the national flag.
“Around 10.28 lakh Tricolours would be distributed among the people, institutions and departments in the district as part of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan’. We are urging people and departments to preserve the flags post celebrations as a priceless token to remember the celebrations of India’s 75th year of Independence. However, as part of the preparations, we have also instructed all officials to strictly adhere to the protocol regarding the national flag, including its disposal as laid down in law,” said Khatri.
The same message was also being conveyed to the common man and to academic and other institutions of the district, he added.
Following the instructions, education department officials have specially issued orders to all schools and colleges in this regard.
Officiating district inspector of schools (DIoS) LB Maurya said that he had instructed principals and managers of over 1000 secondary schools in the district in this regard. “In a missive sent to all secondary schools, the officials have been ordered to specially take care that the national flags that get soiled or damaged are disposed of in the way specified in the law. Under no circumstances should any disrespect to damaged and soiled flags be shown,” he said.
Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA)-Prayagraj Praveen Kumar Tiwari said that similar instructions were issued to all block education officers and principals of the 2852 government-run primary and upper primary schools of the district. “Strict compliance regarding set norms for disposal of damaged national flags is to be ensured,” he said.
DISPOSAL METHOD
As per officials, when the national flag is damaged, it must be destroyed in whole in private. It should be either burnt or buried with due regard to its dignity.
National flags made of paper must not be thrown on the ground after being used by the public. They must be discarded privately with due regard to dignity.
Officials said even while choosing burning or burying, a strict rule was to be followed.
To bury the flags, all the damaged flags should be collected, folded and placed in a wooden box. The box is then to be buried in the earth and a moment of silence is to be observed once the flags are buried.
For the second option, a safe place is to be chosen and cleaned. The damaged flags are to be folded. After building a fire they are to be carefully placed in the centre of the flames. Burning a flag without folding it or burning it first and then putting it on fire is an offence. It should be noted that the national flag is a symbol of pride and its dignity should be maintained even while disposing of it, officials say.
