NGO starts campaign against use of nylon manja

The Animal Warriors Conservation Society (AWCS), which has been campaigning against the use of nylon manja for the last few years, had rescued over 320 birds that were trapped by the manja across Telangana in 2022.

Hyderabad: Come Sankranthi, the skies in Telangana will be dotted with kites of different hues. But even as people enjoy flying kites high into the clouds, the use of nylon manja for these paper birds is turning out to be quite dangerous for real birds.

The Animal Warriors Conservation Society (AWCS), which has been campaigning against the use of nylon manja for the last few years, had rescued over 320 birds that were trapped by the manja across Telangana in 2022. Most of these rescues were taken up in and around Hyderabad.

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Not only AWCS, but several NGOs were also working on the rescue of birds, which means the number of birds affected could be several times higher.

The birds that were trapped by the nylon manja at isolated places die of hunger and injuries caused by the nylon thread since there were none to rescue them.

This year, the AWCS has collaborated with HCL Foundation to sensitise vendors, students and parents in multiple ways to restrict the use of manja. Despite the Forest department prohibiting the use of manja, vendors are continuing to sell it.

Printing large posters of birds trapped by manja, AWCS volunteers are meeting vendors. Beginning their journey from BHEL, eight AWCS volunteers have visited 50 vendors so far and are aiming to cover a few hundred shops by January 1.

Apart from meeting and sensitising vendors, the volunteers are also encouraging vendors to take an oath that they will not sell nylon manja. The same pictures and videos are being posted on social media as well to reach out to more people. Apart from these, AWCS volunteers are also visiting the schools to educate students. They have sensitised over 500 students across 12 schools so far. With an objective to reach out to people en masse, the AWCS was planning to stage street plays and Burra Katha performances besides making multiple videos, animated videos, cartoons and others to educate people.

Speaking to Telangana Today, AWCS founder Pradeep Nair said the Forest department was taking up raids during Sankranthi season, but it would be tough to cover so many kite vendors. Many vendors were also secretly selling nylon manja.

The campaign, he said, was not against kite flying but against the use of manja, particularly the glass coated and nylon varieties. People can reach out to AWCS for animal and bird rescue through the helpline number 9697887888.