Ban on Chinese manja: Kudos to Gujarat cops, but what about aamchi Mumbai?

A kite is seen stuck on a flyover

The Gujarat police, in view of Makar Sankranti which is celebrated with flying kites, have taken several initiatives to ensure the security of people and birds. Chinese manja and glass-coated string of kites lead to several deaths and injuries, especially of bikers, and also maim scores of birds every year. So, the Gujarat police have not only cracked down on manja and nylon kite strings, but also started an awareness campaign to deter people from using the same. The Mumbai police, on the other hand, has only banned the sale and purchase of these items from January 12 to February 10.

Chinese manja and nylon kite strings have led to several accidents in Mumbai and nearby areas too. In 2021, a police officer suffered a severe injury due to kite string too. Assistant Inspector Rakesh Gawli of Kalachowki police station recounted the incident and said, "A nylon kite string got stuck in my neck when I was riding my bike on the JJ flyover, making me fall. There was a deep cut on my neck and doctors had to perform a surgery. Though I was saved, the wound still hurts sometimes. These Chinese manja and nylon strings should not be used for flying kites as they are very dangerous to both humans and animals."

A man drives a two-wheeler with a protector in Surat

Kandivli resident Sandeep Singh, 42, was also seriously injured in one such incident in 2013. He said, "I was going to meet my friend and the manja got stuck on my neck when I was on a flyover near Dindoshi. It left a 18-cm cut on my neck and I had to get 20 stitches and a 3-hour-long surgery. I got discharged after a week, but the pain is still there. The incident was traumatic. I try to avoid going outside during Makar Sankranti."

Prohibition on sale

Gujarat police's Director General Ashish Bhatia said they have been taking a number of initiatives to save the people and animals. Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Narsimha Komar told mid-day that cops across the state have been conducting raids to seize Chinese manja, Chinese lanterns and glass-coated threads.

"Chinese Manjha and glass-coated threads can slit people's throats and also clip the wings of birds while Chinese lanterns can lead to fires if they land on thatched roofs or inflammable material. So, the commissioners of police and district magistrates across Gujarat have issued prohibitory orders banning these items," Komar said.

A manja making factory in Surat. Pics/Heer Dumasia

He added, "We have registered as many as 1,635 cases and arrested 1,130 people for violating the prohibitory order. We have also seized Chinese manja and other banned items in huge quantities. We are likely to arrest more people in connection with manja and kite threads."

Awareness drives

The Gujarat police also started awareness drives. Komar said, "Participation of the public is important in executing the prohibitory order. So, through advertisements in newspapers, we requested people to share information regarding storage, manufacturing, sale and usage of these materials." "We have shared audio video clips on the issue on social media platforms, local cable networks, movie theatres, etc. We organised awareness campaigns in schools, colleges and universities. Apart from this, we are also using the public addressing systems to make announcements and request people to not use these items," Komar told mid-day. The cops have also joined hands with some local NGOs and community representatives to help them rescue birds and other animals injured by manja and kite strings.

Biker safety

Amita Vanani, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Surat police, said, "Synthetic threads used to fly kites cause grievous injuries and bikers are the most affected lot. In some cases, people have also lost their lives as these strings got tangled on their necks. So, in Surat, we have ensured that bikers are using neck belts. We have also urged bikers to install protectors too, so that the kite string does not get entangled in people's necks."

Rakesh Gawli, assistant inspector, Kalachowki police station

Surat City Police Commissioner Ajaykumar Tomar, in the meanwhile, has issued a public notice asking bikers not to use flyovers on the day of Makar Sankranti and the next day as "most of the incidents take place near Varachha and Katargram flyovers." Bikers are allowed only on Tapi river bridge as it connects two cities.

Also read: Mumbai Police bans nylon manja ahead of Makar Sankranti, use of it would be punishable offence

Advocate Speak

Advocate Bhunesh Rupera, who was involved in filing a public interest litigation in the Gujarat High Court over non-implementation of the court's January 2017 order banning Chinese manja and lanterns, nylon strings, said, "As the orders were not implemented properly, we had to bring it to the notice of the HC. The court asked the cops to respond and accordingly, two affidavits were filed by the police authority. The first affidavit was filed by Home Secretary Nipurna Torwane and the second one by Joint Commissioner of Police, Special Branch, Ahmedabad City, Ajay Choudhary. Now we are satisfied as the Gujarat police have done a remarkable job to seize these items and arrest those who violated the prohibitory order."

Steps by Mumbai police

When contacted Joint CP (Law and Order) of Mumbai Police Satyanarayan Choudhary said the department has issued a prohibitory order on manja and nylon strings. The order, undersigned by DCP (Operations) Vishal Thakur, stated that the Mumbai Police has banned the use, sale and storage of pucca thread for the period of 30 days, from January 12 to February 10. "Any person contravening this order shall be punishable under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC," read the order.

When informed about the steps taken by the Gujarat police, a senior Mumbai police officer told mid-day, "Not a lot of people fly kites in Mumbai. This practice is prevalent in Gujarat where people celebrate the festival for weeks. Here in Mumbai the scale of celebration is much less. It is only in some pockets in the western and eastern suburbs where revellers indulge in flying kites."

Gujarat police's guidelines

>> Don't fly kites on roofs or on water tanks of buildings
>> Don't fly kites on highways, main roads, bridges, etc
>> Don't run behind kites with bamboo and sticks on roads
>> Don't remove kites from wires or cables on the roads where live current is passing
>> Don't use Chinese, plastic and nylon string which are dangerous
>> Chinese lanterns are also banned
>> Don't fly kites in the morning as birds generally fly during that time
>> Maintain volume of speakers

Feb 10
Day till when sale and use of Chinese manja is prohibited in Mumbai

1,635
No of cases filed by Gujarat cops over violation of prohibitorty orders