Delhi govt issues draft notification banning Chinese manja

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) The Delhi government today issueda draft notification banning sale, production and storage ofmetal-coated kite thread or Chinese manja in the capital, aday after two children and a youth were killed and a sub-inspector was injured in incidents of stray kite stringsgrazing their necks. According to the notification, kite flying will bepermissible only with a cotton thread and natural fibre freefrom any metallic and glass components. The violation of directions will be punishable with animprisonment of up to five years or fine which may be extendedto Rs 1 lakh or with both. However, sources in the LG office said the Lt Governor hadapproved the draft notification on August 8 and sent it backto the government the next day. The AAP government has delayed in issuing the draftnotification, they said. The AAP government has refuted the charge and saidEnvironment Minister Imran Hussain had signed the filepertaining to the ban on manja on August 5 and sent it to theLG office the same day when he was admitted in a hospitalowing to the notification’s importance. "Whatever he (LG) has to seek, he should seek from theofficer concerned since he is in-charge of the Services," asenior government official said. The Environment Department of Delhi government has soughtpublic suggestions and objections on its draft notificationasking them to file the same within 60 days and thereafter, afinal notification will be issued. "There shall be complete ban on the sale, production,storage, supply and use of nylon, plastic and Chinese manjaand any other kite-flying thread that is sharp or made sharpsuch as by being laced with glass, metal or other sharpobjects in National Capital Territory of Delhi," thenotification stated. Yesterday, three-year-old Saanchi Goyal, who was returningwith parents after watching a movie, was killed after a straykite string slashed her neck in Rani Bagh area when she waslooking out of open sunroof in their car. A four-and-a-half-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man alsodied after their necks got slit while a Delhi Police sub-inspector was injured in such incidents. "During the kite flying, a lot of injury is caused to thepeople and birds on account of pucca thread made out ofplastic or similar such synthetic material commonly known asChinese thread. These injuries many a times turn out to befatal causing death of people and birds. "It is, therefore, desirable to protect the people andbirds from the fatal effects of the kite thread made out ofplastic or synthetic thread as Chinese thread," notificationalso said. On August 11, the Delhi High Court had asked the AAPgovernment and the civic bodies to issue advisory ahead ofIndependence Day making the public aware of fatal effect ofthe use of razor sharp kite-flying threads. PTI BUNZMN