Republic Day: From tri-colour festivities to green initiatives

Sowmya Raju | NT

Bengaluru: As India unfurls its vibrant tricolour this Republic Day, Bengaluru gears up to paint the city saffron, white, and green.

The aftermath of national celebrations often paints a grim picture – streets strewn with plastic and paper flags, remnants of balloons, and discarded decorations.

These fleeting symbols of patriotism leave behind a lasting scar on our environment.

Despite the clear provisions laid out in the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act and the Flag Code of India, 2002, which prohibit any form of disrespect towards the National Flag or Emblem, it remains disheartening to observe that the day after celebrations, numerous decorative flags find themselves strewn on roads amid dust and garbage.

Roshaan Ray, the founder of Seed Paper India, an ecoconscious organisation specialising in the production of seed paper products, advocates for a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic and paper flags, notorious for contributing to street litter.

Ray proposes a shift towards using flags crafted from seed paper—an artisanal and biodegradable material capable of germinating when planted in soil.

Adarsh Benkappa Basavaraj, an advocate for environmental consciousness, who believes in the impact of small steps toward reducing an individual's carbon footprint recommends initiating eco-awareness campaigns to educate communities on responsible waste disposal and emphasises the importance of encouraging citizens to collect and recycle decorations responsibly.

Additionally, Basavaraj urges people to opt for durable, locally-made cloth flags that can be reused for several years, promoting sustainability over the useand-dispose approach associated with single-use flags.

Adarsh further advocates for a holistic approach by recommending the selection of eco-friendly party supplies and the adoption of electric vehicles to mitigate both carbon footprint and waste generation.

In addressing the issue of banners and posters, especially those crafted from non-biodegradable materials like plastic, Adarsh proposes that political groups and individuals alike can play a pivotal role in championing sustainability.

Instead of contributing to environmental harm, they can opt for banners and posters made from eco-friendly materials, thus aligning their message with the values of environmental consciousness and responsibility.