Election Commission has decided to stop candidates from using plastic materials for poll campaign and suggested to use cloth banners and flags instead.
Erode has been major centre for production of cloth banner and flag due to concentration of screen-printing and dyeing units here.
The functioning of hundreds of power loom units also made it a major business centre for producing dhotis and longish with borders of party flags.
At the time of elections, such products are released with the symbols of various parties also.
Plastic boards and flags cost more but many prefer due to its prompt supply and attractive designs and colours moreover the flex and vinyl boards made with computer-aided designs (CAD) are water-resistant.
The cost of making a cloth banner of 1 sq ft is Rs 10 to 12 whereas flex board costs Rs15 to 20, unit holder Ramasamy remarked.
Cloth banner production would also create job opportunity to locals, he added.
A flex and vinyl board producer Ravi said that the CEO has just made a suggestion.
The officials of election section in Collectorate, confirmed that they expect an order from the CEO asking political parties to stop using them.
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