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Pune residents irked as damaged, poor quality flags distributed at ward offices
Ashok Chakra is not printed properly on many flags, while in some the stitching is not done properly. In many flags instead of Ashok Chakra in the centre, it is shifted to the left side or right side, say residents
Under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ initiative, Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations have started the distribution of national flags. However, residents are unhappy as many of the flags are of “poor quality.”
PMC will distribute five lakh national flags to celebrate the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ initiative announced by the Union government. The flags would be distributed through 15 ward offices across the city.
Under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ initiative, the Union government has urged people to unfurl the national flag at every home between August 13 and 15.
Ashok Chakra is not printed properly on many flags, while in some the stitching is not done properly. In many flags instead of Ashok Chakra in the centre, it is shifted to the left side or right side, say residents.
Neeraj Modani, a resident of Kothrud, who collected the flag from the city post office, near Dagduseth Halwai Ganpati temple, said, “The flag has not been stitched properly and it does not have proper finishing touch. The circle of Ashok Chakra is also not properly printed. The initiative is good, but the administration must make sure the flags are of good quality.”
“Fags which are damaged, we are returning them. We have urged people to not take defective pieces. At many places we have not started distribution of flags as they were damaged,” said Sachin Ithape, deputy commissioner of the municipal corporation.
“We have distributed 35,000 flags. Many flags were of poor quality which we have returned,” said a postman from the city post office requesting anonymity.
On Saturday afternoon, flags were out of stock at the city post office.
In PCMC one flag costs ₹24 and in PMC it is distributed free of cost.
Manoj Lonkar, deputy commissioner from PCMC, said, “I urge all the residents to check the quality of flags before purchasing them. We have already asked for a replacement from the central government.”
Prashant Jagtap, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Pune city unit president, said, “In the meeting with Vikram Kumar, commissioner and administrator PMC, we had told him that flags should be distributed along with sticks and it should be properly printed or we are disrespecting the national flag.”
