MANGALURU: Thousands of national flags that have reached post offices across Dakshina Kannada as part of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign under ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ are not in saleable condition. From the beginning of this month till Saturday, the postal department has received over 30,000 polyester-made tricolours from different vendors in Gujarat. Sources said thousands of these products are defective because of sewing or cutting defects. The saffron, white and green stripes are not in equal proportion, size does not conform to the 3:2 ratio and the Ashok Chakra is not in the right place.
Many are even tattered, sources said. The post offices have received directions to push the sale of tricolours and return those rejected by customers. The officials who came to know about the defective flags have asked the staff at the counters in the post offices to be doubly careful while handing them over to customers. “We have been told not to sell any defective flag and check before handing them to customers,” said a post office staff in Mangaluru.
However, the real worry comes from the bulk sales. In the last two days, post offices in Puttur, Kokkada, Madanthyar, Belthangady and Surathkal have seen people purchasing in bulk which the staff at the counters are simply handing over without checking if the flags are in proper condition. “How can we check thousands of flags? It’s not easy. However, if they come back with defective flags, we will certainly replace them with good ones,” said an officer on the condition of anonymity.
Post offices are told to keep the flag sale counters open even on general holidays and Sundays till Independence Day. The officers are expecting a huge rush a day or two before the I-Day from customers and those wanting to replace the defective ones. N Sriharsha, Senior Superintendent of Posts, Mangaluru Division, said they had received defective flags in the first consignment and they sold only the good ones after segregation. In the second consignment of 20,000 flags received on Friday, almost all are in good condition, he maintained.