Taking note of the rise in the number of people flying kites ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, and the corresponding rise in the number of accidents and fatalities due to the use of banned ‘manja’ (strings coated with finely crushed glass or metals), the Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the city police to file a report on the steps taken to check illegal sale of the banned string.
The court’s order came while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Delhi resident, Sanser Pal Singh, who sought a complete ban on flying, sale, purchase, storage and transportation of kites, as many people and birds are killed or injured due to accidents caused by the glass-coated strings.
Kite flying on the eve of Independence Day has been a tradition across India, often associated with the freedom struggle, but in recent years it has gained notoriety because of the use of ‘manja’ by kite fliers for cutting the opponents’ strings.
Last month, a 30-year-old motorcyclist died after his throat was slit by a kite string near the Haiderpur flyover in north-west Delhi. Last year, around the same time, a 23-year-old motorcyclist, Saurav Dahiya, died in a similar manner near Pitampura.
The ‘manja’ threat
In January 2017, the Delhi government issued standing orders banning the sale, production, storage, supply, import and use of all forms of ‘manja’ — plastic, nylon, ‘synthetic Chinese thread/mania’ or any other thread coated with glass or metal components.
Kite flying in the Capital is permissible only with cotton threads, which are free of any sharp metallic or glass components or strengthening materials.
In July 2017, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered a countrywide ban on ‘Chinese manja’, noting that its use has not only resulted in injuries to birds, animals and human beings, but also caused fatal accidents.
However, over the years, the use of synthetic ‘manja’ while kite flying has continued in the Capital. Senior police officers said ‘Chinese manja’ is mostly smuggled from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and are brought in trucks. The materials used in making ‘manja’ are cheap and easy to obtain, said an officer, adding that the demand for the sharp thread prompts shopkeepers to sell it despite the ban. In recent days, the Delhi police have carried out several raids at shops selling ‘Chinese manja’ and arrested the shopkeepers, said the officer.
With a view to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities, the High Court asked the city police to inform it of the steps taken to implement the NGT’s order banning the sale of the synthetic ‘manja’.
A Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad asked, “What steps has Delhi Police taken to ensure that Chinese ‘manja’ is not used? What steps have you taken for the implementation of the NGT order? Take instructions and inform us.”
Difficult to catch culprit
The petitioner, Mr. Singh, stated in his plea that he met with an accident in 2006 when he got entangled in a kite string. In an attempt to stop the thread from reaching his throat, he pushed it with his finger and it got cut in half. His plea, filed through advocate Yogesh Swaroop, highlighted that the Delhi police have registered at least 18 FIRs related to accidents involving kite strings in the past five years.
Mr. Singh argued that a complete ban on kite flying, sale and purchase, and storage is the only solution as it is difficult to catch the culprit or fix responsibility when an accident occurs due to kite strings. Central government standing counsel Anil Soni submitted that the problem is not with kites, but with the ‘Chinese manja’, which has already been banned by the NGT. The Delhi government’s counsel told the High Court that advisories in this regard are passed every year. The court will hear the case on Friday.
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