Chinese 'manjha' banned for Uttarayan festivities: Guj govt to

The Gujarat government today told the Gujarat High Court that it has ordered a ban on Chinese 'manjha' and that it prefers the use of cotton thread 'manjha' for flying kites during the Uttarayan festivities.
The government said this in response to a petition seeking restrictions on kite-flying due to the death of birds and in some cases, of humans due to the sharp threads.
In an affidavit filed before the division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice VM Pancholi, the government emphasised on the importance of Uttarayan as an important festival providing livelihood to many.
The government added that it has already taken action against Chinese threads which cause fatalities due to the usage of an abrasive coat of crushed glass to make them razor sharp.

"To this extent, the state also feels that it is required to be restricted," it said, adding that orders banning the Chinese threads have been issued to all the 38 district authorities across the state.
"The ban on Chinese 'manjha' will take care of most of the grievances raised by the petitioner," it said.

The government also said it prefers the use of cotton thread 'manjha' for flying kites.
The High Court had sought the government's response on which varieties of 'manjha' should be banned after a PIL highlighted deaths caused due to kite-flying during the season.
The government, in its response, also highlighted the religious and cultural importance of Uttarayan.

"A special significance attached to Uttarayan is kite-flying. The festival of kite-flying is beyond the religious boundaries and signifies the cultural strength in the entire state," it said.
Petitioner Siddhrajsinh Chudasama said in his petition that a ban on flying kites is required to "ensure the safety and security of human lives which is one of the fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution of India".
The petition said kite-flying during Uttarayan, using threads of crushed glass and gum, threatens the life and limb of humans, birds and animals, and especially, it kills birds in large numbers.