By Aditya Vikram Singh/New Delhi:
DESPITE tall promises made by the state governments to curb the Chinese string menus, the sale of the Chinese string has continued unabated throughout the parts of the country.
Various state governments across the country have claimed of tackling the issue by announcing blanket ban on sale of Chinese string and taking severe action against kite fliers and string salors at different interval of time, however, there seems to be little action on the ground level, as the menus, more or less, still persists in different parts of the country.
Although Delhi under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has faired a bit better on this count, because Delhi chief minister has in the past launched sustained drives against Chinese string in different parts of Delhi, however, the menus of Chinese string has continued in the National Capital Region (NCR), nonetheless.
CONCERN:
Popular as kite ‘manjha’, the Chinese string is made up of nylon or synthetic thread, treated with glass and metal to make it sharper. Unlike the cotton thread, the Chinese string doesn’t Break on impact but cuts through the skin, especially around the upper torso particularly around neck and face. These strings are also heavy conductors of electricity
Sale of Chinese string (kite cord or thread), coated with glass or abrasives, has been completely banned in the National Capital Region, but unfortunately the dangerous string has persisted to be freely available under the counter in the neighborhood in various parts of Delhi and the NCR, and has caused havoc among people at times.
Popular as kite ‘manjha’, the Chinese string is made up of nylon or synthetic thread, treated with glass and metal to make it sharper. Unlike the cotton thread, the Chinese string doesn’t Break on impact but cuts through the skin, especially around the upper torso particularly around neck and face. These strings are also heavy conductors of electricity.
According to reports, at least 17 incidents of people getting injured due to kite ‘manjha’ were reported from different parts of Delhi and the NCR, on August 15 itself, at a time when kite flying peaks up as part of the Independence Day celebrations. It’s worth mentioning here that the national green tribunal had put a blanket ban on sale of the Chinese string, which is coated with tiny pieces of glass metal and often causes fatal cuts.
As per reports, the NGT allowed the use of only cotton thread or any other natural fibre that was free from any metallic or glass Components, so that the kite flying remained harmless to human beings. As per officials, any violation of the ban attracted a jail term of up to five years or a fine of up to Rs One lakh, or both.
HIGHLIGHT:
According to reports, at least 17 incidents of people getting injured due to kite ‘manjha’ were reported from different parts of Delhi and the NCR, on August 15 itself, at a time when kite flying peaks up as part of the Independence Day celebrations
Delhi police sources have revealed that the Chinese string is still being sold in areas like Patel Nagar, Vikaspuri, Janakpuri, Mayapuri, Shadipur, Tilak Nagar, Narela, Alipur, Mundka Bawana Kanjhawala Kiradi Begampur Mangolpuri Prem Nagar and Sultanpuri, etc.
The victims of Chinese string are not just human beings but birds also. According to a report, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) received approximately 1,000 complaints of kite injuries caused by Chinese strings from different parts of Delhi and the NCR over past few months. Wings of birds were cut and many cases their wings were completely separated, Peta officials pointed out. Even power discoms have reported outages owing to kite threads, officials said, adding that kite flying around electricity installations and overhead cables should be avoided.
(Author Aditya Vikram Singh is a senior journalist, currently associated with Democratic Accent as Special Correspondent. He is well-known for his hard-hitting stories and investigative reporting, and has extensive experience in all important beats. He had previously worked with reputed groups such as Indian Express and Hindustan Times.)
