Rajyotsava: Paper seed flags given to five schools

The Eco Friends Group in Mangaluru has come out with an eco-friendly paper seed flag to celebrate Kannada Rajyotsava.

Rajesh of Eco Friends Group told DH, “The paper seed flag will be distributed to students in five schools in Mangaluru. About 100 such flags will be distributed in each school for Rajyotsava.”

He said the bio-degradable paper seed flags not only decompose in soil within a short period, but will grow into fruit-yielding trees and vegetables.

“We wanted to reduce the waste. The paper used in the flag has two layers. One layer has the Karnataka flag for Rajyotsava and the backside of the flag has seeds of papaya and tomato pinned to it. The seeds will sprout within a week of being put in flower pots or soil. Each flag has three to four types of seeds. The children can dispose after the Rajyotsava celebrations,” Rajesh explained.

“We also conducted many experiments. The seeds had sprouted within a few days of being placed in pots. A flag of 3 cm X 2 cm size can be pinned onto shirts or sarees,” he added.

If the flag proves a hit during Rajyotsava, the Eco Friends Group intends to replicate it during Independence Day celebrations in 2020, he said.

“In spite of the ban on plastic flags, many still use them and dump them on the roads after the celebrations. The dye used in the paper seed
flag is not harmful to Nature,” Rajesh said.

The seed flag will be distributed free of cost at the ‘savayava santhe’ (organic market) held at Mannagudda on Sunday after Rajyotsava.