Ban Chinese kite string, HC tells Delhi government

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi government to soon ban Chinese kite string and permit string made only of cotton or other natural fibre.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal sought to know the status of the Aam Aadmi Party government's notification to ban the Chinese string made of nylon.

Noting that the kite-flying festival, celebrated in Delhi on August 15, was around the corner, the court asked the government to inform it by when the notification will be issued.

The government told the bench that the notification was pending before Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung for approval.

On Monday, the government told the high court that it will soon issue a notification to ban the Chinese 'manja' (string) and allow the use of string made only of cotton or other natural fibre.

The government said it was conscious of the injuries caused by kite-flying thread made of nylon.

The government's response came on a public interest litigation to demand immediate a ban on Chinese kite string.

The petitioner had called for a ban on the manufacture, sale, use and purchase of the nylon 'manja', alleging it is "razor sharp" and has caused several deaths across the country and can slice through human skin.

Petitioner Zulfiqar Hussain said earlier that the victims of the synthetic thread were mostly birds "but now humans are also under threat".

--IANS

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