Hyderabad: Organisations raise awareness against use of ‘banned’ manja

According to GHSPCA, mostly kite flyers use the manja or glass coated thread in competition for kite fights

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GHSPCA) and animal rescue organisations in the city have teamed up for the Sankranti festival to raise awareness against the use of nylon, glass coated kite thread.

According to GHSPCA, mostly kite flyers use the manja or glass coated thread in competition for kite fights. In this process, a large portion of thread lies entangled on trees which prove fatal for birds and animals.

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The National Green Tribunal has banned Chinese manja and glass coated thread in 2016 Under Section 5 of Environment Protection Act 1986. As per the Section 15 of the Act, any person found violating the rules is liable for imprisonment up to 5 years or fine up to Rs 1 lakh rupees or both.

“We request the kite flyers to collect all the wastage of thread and put it in a dustbin rather than leaving it in open space. We have been doing rounds all over the city and look for the birds injury or those stuck in thread hanging from trees. We will be continuing the exercise till the end of the festival week,” said Soudharm Bhandari of the GHSPCA.

He said most of the birds take weeks to recover from injury as it affects their ability to fly. Over 150 birds were rescued last year and among them, 50 per cent died during treatment. In the year 2017, 106 birds were rescued while 156 were rescued in 2018, 57 in 2019, 46 in 2020 and eight till this January 12.

For such emergency situations, citizens can contact Ph: 8886743881/ 9949602074, he added.

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