A WAVE of anger has spread in the city after the loss of another innocent life due to banned Chinese manja. Twenty-year-old Pranay Prakash Thakre was killed near Imambada on Tuesday after the deadly Nylon thread slit his throat. He died on the spot with his respiratory tract cut off by the manja. This was the third death related to kite-flying in the last fortnight. People are furious with the utter failure of the enforcement agencies, including Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Nagpur City police, in curbing the trade of Nylon manja despite a ban. After the gory death of Thakre, the Imambada police registered an offence against unidentified persons for causing death by negligence (Section 304 A), disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant (Section 188) of Indian Penal Code and read with Section 5 and 15 of Environment Protection Act.

 

The accused are still at large and it would be quite difficult for the police to identify the culprits. In a meeting held on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar issued orders to Deputy Commissioners and Police Inspectors to book traders of the banned Chinese manja and also those found flying kites with it under the provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and The Protection of Environment Act. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation, too, has initiated action against the sale of the banned manja. It has so far and seized 1,348 kites and 11 manja reels. The City Police also seized more than 300 manja reels in last 15 days. The action by the enforcement agencies, as compared to the big number of users of Nylon manja, can be termed as marginal. Social activists in the city have been advocating a ban on the use of the deadly thread. “Manja has become a huge threat for human life. One can not walk or travel on city roads without fear as a manja can come from any side and cause serious injury,” said an activist. Nagpur has witnessed some tragic incidents due to kite-flying over the years. On last Makar Sankranti in January 2020, more than 13 persons were seriously injured due to manja.

 

HC takes suo-motu note of menace of nylon thread Seriously alarmed over havoc caused by nylon threads leading to deaths and serious injuries to scores of citizens, Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has suo-motu registered a PIL on the basis of newspaper reports. The PIL will be heard on Thursday morning itself looking at the urgency of the issue and widespread damage caused to lives of birds, animals and humans due to use of nylon or synthetic thread (manja) by kite-flyers. A division bench consisting of Justice Sunil Shukre and Justice Avinash Gharote directed the registry to treat the newspaper reports of calamities caused by the use of nylon thread (manja), as suo motu PIL to issue necessary directions to the authorities. Adv S M Ukey placed on record some newspaper reports highlighting serious injuries caused by nylon thread, which is being sold and used despite ban.

 

Adv Devendra Chauhan, who has already addressed this issue when the order was passed on Wednesday, has been asked to act as Amicus Curiae. The matter will be placed before the constitutional division bench consisting of Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Anil Kilor on Thursday itself. It may be recalled that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2017 had already imposed a complete ban on nylon manja saying it posed a threat to the lives of birds, animals and humans. NGT bench headed by its then Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar had directed all State Governments to prohibit “manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use” of synthetic manja or nylon threads and all other synthetic threads used for flying kites. The green panel had clarified that the ban order would apply to nylon, Chinese and cotton manja coated with glass. All chief secretaries of States and Union Territories were directed to enforce prohibition on manufacture and use of synthetic manja/nylon thread for flying kites throughout the country, the NGT had ordered. The order has been followed only in breach and ban remained only on paper.