Delhi government has issued a ban on Chinese-made kite strings after accidents caused by it claimed two lives in last 24 hours, including that of a three-year-old girl. A notification to this effect was issued by the Delhi government this evening, agency reports said.
Sanchi was returning home after watching a movie with her parents yesterday evening. A kite string got tangled around her neck as she stood up to peek outside the car through its sunroof.
In another incident on Monday, a 22-year-old biker died after a kite string got entangled around his neck. The incident happened in West Delhi on Keshavpur Elevated Road around 5.30 pm when victim Zafar Khan was crossing the flyover and came in contact with the manjha.
The third incident was reported from West Delhi on Monday when a 14-year-old boy was critically injured after coming in contact with a high-tension wire in Bindapur.
The incident happened around 4 p.m. when victim Rohit tried to retrieve the kite that had got stuck on the wire while flying. He was admitted at GB Pant Hospital with 80 per cent burn injuries where he succumbed to injuries.
The accidents have prompted Arvind Kejriwal government to expedite the notification banning Chinese and metallic kite strings. The government is likely to issue the notification in this regard today itself.
Earlier in the month, the Delhi High Court had asked the Aam Aadmi Party government to come up with suggestions to prevent accidents due to use of Chinese kite string as the state government. The government informed the court that it was a tough task to implement banning it before Independence Day.
During hearing in the HC on August 8, the government said that the draft notification was in the public domain inviting objections from the stakeholders but to implement it (the notification) in next four days is next to impossible, and asked for more time.
The petitioner had called for a ban on the manufacture, sale, use and purchase of the nylon 'manja', alleging it is "razor sharp" and capable of slicing through the human skin and has caused several deaths across the country.
Petitioner Zulfiqar Hussain said earlier the victims of the synthetic thread were mostly birds "but now humans are also under threat".
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had also moved the National Green Tribunal highlighting dangers associated with use of glass coated thread 'manja' while flying kites and sought an immediate ban on it across the country.
