Will ban use of Chinese manjha for kite flying, govt tells Delhi HC

“A draft notification imposing a complete ban or sale, production, storage, supply and use of nylon, plastic and Chinese manjha, and any other kite
flying thread that is sharp or made sharp such as by being laced with the glass, metal or other sharp objects in Delhi… and allowing kite flying
only with a cotton thread/natural fibre, free from any metallic/ glass components was prepared by the Environment Ministry of the Delhi government
and vetted by the Delhi government’s Law department…,” said the government in its affidavit.

The affidavit was filed in response to a PIL filed by Delhi resident Zulfikar Hussain, who had cited instances of birds, animals and even human beings being seriously injured due to the glass-lined manjhas.

The PIL, filed through advocate Tariq Adeeb, had also mentioned an incident last year where a man’s throat had been slit by manjha while he was riding a motorbike.

The court has asked the government to respond by Tuesday on whether the notification was likely to be issued before August 15, which is traditionally the day when kite flying is done in the capital.

Meanwhile, a group of kite sellers and manufacturers have filed an intervention application in the case, claiming

that the manjha being sold in their shops was not “chinese manjha” but was made of “organic material”.