The Gujarat High Court lashed out at the government on Saturday on the use of banned Chinese ‘manjha’ (thread) during the kite-flying season.
The court said, “work should not be done on paper, it should be based on the facts on the ground. Mere meetings will not solve anything. Government and police should take appropriate action against the people selling Chinese thread and it is also necessary that there should be proper awareness among the people about the Chinese thread.”
The Gujarat government filed a second affidavit about action to ban Chinese ‘manjha’. On Friday, the Gujarat government filed an affidavit on action taken against manufacturers and stockists of Chinese thread, but the court was not satisfied with the affidavit filed by the government. The government is taking the threat posed to human life by the use of Chinese ‘manjha’ lightly, the court noted.
The HC also found the affidavit filed by the government on the issue vague.
On Saturday, the court heard the PIL by Gandhinagar-based activist Pankaj Buch, seeking a ban on the sale of glass-coated nylon thread which is widely used during the Uttarayan festival despite a ban. The petitioner cited cases of injuries and deaths due to the thread slitting throats during commuting on two-wheelers.
Nimish Kapadia, Petitioner advocate, said, “The court also ordered to set up a dedicated helpline for information about the sale of Chinese thread by Monday. If those using banned cords are caught, action will be taken against them not only under the Indian Penal Code but also under the Wildlife Protection act.”
The government lawyer said in court that the “Cyber Crime Branch has written to several online sites including Amazon and Flipkart, requesting them to stop selling Chinese ‘manjha’ online.”
Three people have already died as a result of the banned Chinese threads, including a former national hockey player, before the kite-flying festival “Uttrayan.” In Surat, Mehsana, and Vadodara, several people were injured. It has also killed birds, including some migratory birds that are rare.
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