76 manja traders, who were booked last year, under police scanner
Nagpur: With Makar Sankranti a month away, markets have started buzzing with all kinds of colourful kites. And the clandestine business of manufacture and sale of nylon manja, glass coated manja reaching its peak despite a nationwide ban on the very dangerous stuff.
It is pertinent to recall that sale of nylon and glass coated manja has been banned nationwide by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). 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.
However, this year the Nagpur police have geared up to deal with the manja menace with firm hand and in a pre-emptive act, put a total of 76 nylon manja traders under scanner. These traders were booked in December 2020 and January 2021 for selling nylon manja despite a ban invoked by the State. Now, the police have slapped notices on these traders to not dare to sell nylon manja in the city again. These notices are part of an action plan of complete ban on nylon manja.
The Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar issued an order under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) banning sell, storage and usage of nylon manja in the city. The police have taken up the issue very seriously as a 22-year old Pranay Prakash Thakre, a resident of Dnyaneshwar Nagar, had died after the deadly nylon manja slit his throat in Imamwada Police Station area on January 12 this year. Three persons had also sustained serious throat injuries due to nylon thread during Makar Sankranti festival this year. Therefore, the Nagpur police along with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Pollution Control Board have pulled up socks almost a month before the Makar Sankranti.
According to reports, the DCP (Cyber Crime) Chetna Tidke has been appointed as the nodal officer to put checks on on-line sale of nylon manja in the city. The local police station offices and DCPs have been directed in a meeting to conduct intensive searches for the nylon thread. “If anyone found selling or using the banned thread, he would face action,” the CP warned. Similarly, the police also raise awareness on the ban of sale, use and storage of nylon thread for flying kites. Regular announcements will also be made using megaphones. The cops have also been instructed to keep an eye on vendors and kite lovers using or selling such nylon threads in their jurisdictions. It may be mentioned here that the NMC has banned the sale and purchase of nylon manja last week.
NMC’s NDS start action:
The Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS) of Nagpur Municipal Corporation is keeping a close watch on manufacture and sell of nylon manja in the city. Searches are being conducted on kite and manja vendors. On Friday, five kite vendors in Gandhibagh Zone were searched and 132 plastic kites were seized. A fine of Rs 1000 each was imposed on these traders. Similar action was taken in Satranjipura Zone and 90 plastic kites were seized from a shop. The vendor was also slapped with a fine of Rs 1000.
