Hyderabad: A week ahead of the Sankranti festival, the illegal sale of Chinese manja continues unabated in Hyderabad. And this, even as the state has already reported at least four cases where people have been injured by these synthetic, glass-coated kite strings, banned by the National Green Tribunal in 2017.
Many incidents of birds suffering cuts have also come to light, say environmentalists and animal rights activists.
Yet, they complain, how no significant effort is being made by the forest department — responsible for restricting the sale of Chinese manja — to curb the menace
“Authorities act only a couple of days before Sankranti, allowing the manja to flood local markets. Early intervention, at least a month before the festival, can save hundreds of birds, animals and humans,” said Pradeep Parakuth of Animal Warriors and Conservation Society (AWCS).
When asked, officials of the forest department admitted that they are yet to convene a meeting with other stakeholders. “We will soon hold a coordination meeting with NGOs and kite vendors and launch a campaign against Chinese manja. Posters will be released to educate the public and vendors. Those caught selling the banned thread will face heavy fines and potential jail time,” said A Shankaran, OSD (wildlife division), forest department.
This delay, meanwhile, has led to the harmful manja flooding markets in areas like Begum Bazar, Dhoolpet, and Goshamahal, where it is discreetly sold at inflated prices. When TOI visited some of these areas on Tuesday, and asked for Chinese manja, the seller quietly instructed a worker to fetch it from inside and quoted Rs 2,200 for a small reel.
It was then promptly slipped into an opaque plastic bag and handed over to the buyer.
This was the pattern followed in many other shops in the area.
Sourced from Del, Gujarat
“We sell cotton manja that costs between Rs 20 and Rs 1,000 a reel. We stopped selling Chinese manja because we do not want to attract any trouble. However, many local stalls here continue selling it despite the risks. And, honestly, the profits are higher in Chinese manja, especially after the ban. Most of it is transported from cities like Delhi, Kanpur, and Ahmedabad,” said a kite shop owner from Goshamahal.
Environmentalists highlight the dangers of Chinese manja, not just to humans and animals but also to the environment. “The string, often made from polyester, is likely sourced from Gujarat, while local vendors handle the colour application. It poses risks to wildlife and pollutes water and soil due to improper disposal. People often don’t know how or where to report its illegal sale,” said Narsimha Reddy D, an environmentalist. He urged the govt to establish a dedicated helpline to curb the issue.
Under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, using Chinese manja is a punishable offence, carrying a fine of Rs 5,000 or imprisonment of up to one year. However, environmentalists and animal welfare groups argue that these penalties are insufficient.
“Every year, this practice harms not only humans but also hundreds of birds and animals in Hyderabad. Celebrations should not come at the cost of innocent lives,” said Alokparna Sengupta of Humane Society International – India. She urged citizens to use traditional cotton threads, report illegal sales, and dispose of kite strings responsibly to prevent harm to birds and animals.
