NGT bans Chinese 'manja' for kites, PETA welcomes move

The National Green Tribunal's ruling banning Chinese 'manja' - the string used to fly kites - is a "lifesaving" step, animal rights body PETA said on Tuesday.

The NGT on Tuesday truled that there will be a complete ban on the Chinese manja strings or any synthetic material which is non-bio degradable as it poses a threat to the environment.

"This prohibition on the use of synthetic and nylon manja is a lifesaving step and now we must press on until all dangerous manja is banned.
"Particularly worrying is glass-coated manja which has caused injuries and deaths of children, birds and others and so must also be banned," said Nikunj Sharma, Lead, Public Policy, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

In a statement, the body claimed that the ruling was in response to its petition filed in NGT in August, 2016, calling for a nationwide ban on all forms of sharp kite-flying strings.

NGT directed all state governments to prohibit the "manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use" of synthetic manja or nylon threads and all other synthetic strings used for flying kites with immediate effect. PETA will continue its work to protect birds and humans from all forms of manja, the statement said.

In March 2017, a man in Chennai died after his throat was slit with sharp manja while he was driving a bike.
On August 15, 2016, three people including two 3-year-olds ? were killed in Delhi when their throats were slashed by manja.

Recently three people died in a similar manner while riding motorbikes, including a man in Ghaziabad in July, 2016, a man in East Delhi in August 2015, and a 5-year-old boy in Chennai who was riding with his father in 2015, PETA claimed.

The body said that thousands of birds are also killed every year when they are cut or trapped by manja, which can get entangled in trees or buildings for weeks.

According to estimates, more than 300 birds were injured and over 100 died because of manja during Makar Sankranti in Hyderabad in 2015, it said.

In 2014, the environment ministry had issued an advisory to all states and union territories asking them to address the manja threat while in 2013, the Animal Welfare Board of India had written to all states and UTs urging them to ban it, PETA said.