MCD, NDMC direct market associations to take down saffron flags post Ram temple consecration

New Delhi: The MCD and the NDMC have issued directions to carefully take down the flags and banners with pictures of Lord Ram and Hanuman that have been put up to decorate city streets to celebrate the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, an official said on Wednesday.

According to the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), an umbrella body of around 800 trade organisations in Delhi, 10 lakh flags were placed in 700 markets in the capital on the occasion of the Ram Lalla 'pran pratishtha' ceremony.

The civic body has directed the officials to keep a check on flags, posters and banners bearing the pictures of Lord Ram and take them down to avoid them from falling down on the streets.

"We have directed all sanitation officers to keep a check on such posters/banners and dispose them off with dignity so as to ensure that no sentiments are hurt," an official of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) told PTI.

On being asked when is the process expected to be completed, the official said the work is being carried out with the desired urgency.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has also directed the market associations in their areas to remove the decorative items respectfully and dispose of them as per protocols.

"We have directed the market associations to respectfully take down the flags and items that were put up by the market associations," the official said.

Khan Market Traders' Association president Sanjeev Mehra told PTI that they had put up 150 flags and approximately 2,000 metres of danglers for the occasion.

"We are environmental friendly market association and we believe in sustainability. We did not buy plastic flags or any other material. All the decorative material was of cloth and we have taken them down, preserved them in transparent bags and kept them at the store. We will use them next year when January 22 arrives. Some flags were stolen also," he said.

Federation on Sadar Bazar Trade Association president Rakesh Kumar Yadav said they will remove all the flag posters collecting items bearing Lord Ram's name and image after the Republic Day celebrations.

They plan to donate these flags to the temples and ashrams.

"The damaged flags will be buried in the soil," Yadav said.

The Trade Association has also made a public announcement to ensure that the fallen fags or any other decorative item bearing Lord Ram's picture is handled with care till the time they are taken off.

Meanwhile, the CTI has formed a team of traders in all markets to responsibly take down the flags in their respective markets.

The traders association has launched an initiative to take down the flags and banners carefully and keep them safely.

"The 'pran pratishtha' Utsav of Ram Lalla has been completed now. Now, there is a need to save these sacred flags, which can fall due to wind," the CTI said in a statement.

"If these flags can be used in future, then preserve them, otherwise dispose of them as worship material," it added.

The 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla took place in Ayodhya on January 22 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.