Big demand for Tricolour in rural areas takes officials by surprise

Ranipet: The unprecedented demand for the Tricolour to celebrate the nation’s 75th I-Day anniversary has taken officials by surprise resulting in the latter scampering to ensure enough stock of flags to meet the demand, sources said.

In Ranipet district, of the assessed demand for 2.06 lakh flags, 1.03 lakh flags were sold by 49 members of three women SHGs in Chettythangal village panchayat in Wallajahpet panchayat union.

Officials said Collector Baskara Pandian, while visiting the SHGs, encouraged them so much that “they are willing to take additional orders if necessary”.

Baskara Pandian also visited Thenkadapanthangal village in the same union earlier where he handed over the Tricolour to 53 households and advised them to keep the flags hoisted for three days till August 15.

Officials said the cloth was purchased from Tirupur and the cost price per flag accrued to Rs 18 and after additions for transport and other expenses, the selling price was Rs 21.25 per flag. The remaining 1.03 lakh flags would be supplied by individual panchayats, officials added.

In Tirupattur district, Collector Amar Kuswaha chose to lead by example when he hoisted the national flag atop his official residence and saluted it on Saturday.

In Gudiyattam town (Vellore district), which has to its credit of providing the flag which was hoisted at the Red Fort in 1947, flags were supplied free by both the municipality (in the town) and by panchayats (in villages) and also by sponsors with many coming around asking individual households if they needed flags.

“I purchased a flag for Rs 20 two days ago and today I was asked if I wanted a free flag,” a resident told DT Next. However, what came as a surprise was local auto drivers flaunting Tricolour atop their vehicles in large numbers from Friday.