But the banned nylon manja widely in use poses life-threatening hazards
Nagpur: The time has come again! The much-awaited event of the year – Kite festival – is all set to turn the Orange City skies with vibrant colours. Makar Sankranti, which is falling on January 15 this year, marks the kite festival. Kites of different hues, colours and shapes would dot the Nagpur skies and the atmosphere reverberating with shrill cries of “O Paar” and “O Kaat.” Thousands and thousands of youngsters in the company of elders in the family would be seen camping on terraces and open grounds as kite flying will be at its frenzied peak on the day of Makar Sankranti.
The days before the kite festival, markets were flooded with kites of different colours and shapes. However, the kite festival also brings to the fore a disturbing aspect – deadly nylon, glass coated manja – which sometimes prove fatal not only to kite flyers but also to birds and other species of animals. The clandestine business of manufacture and sale of nylon manja, glass coated manja goes on unabated despite a nationwide ban on the very dangerous stuff. Aale of nylon and glass coated manja has been banned nationwide by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) a couple of years back. The NGT had imposed a blanket ban on nylon and glass coated manja due to the threat it posed to humans, birds, and animals. But still the rampant sale and use of the banned manja continues unabatedly mainly due to lethargic attitude of concerned authorities to implement the ban in letter and spirit.
While the law bans the manufacture and sale of the manja, there is no mechanism to ensure that it is adhered to. Because of high demand, the deadly stuff continue to be used widely. Many activists agree that the law fails to protect human, birds and animals as there are not enough measures to ensure implementation. The use of nylon manja has been banned but it is not successful because the authorities have not thought of a way to implement it. Festivals should be celebrated but not by inflicting injuries on innocent humans and the poor birds, the activists said. The kite festival is celebrated for a day or two but its effects are seen throughout the year as the manja gets entangled in trees or power lines or windows of houses. An unwary person later gets stuck in them. There are umpteen number of cases where kids got seriously injured by the nylon and glass coated manja.
Every year, high number of fatal mishaps owing to use of nylon and glass coated synthetic manja grab headlines. But still the kite festival is celebrated with frenzied spirits in the Second Capital City of Nagpur.
