THE district administration, on Sunday, called a multiagency co-ordination meeting over the issue of ‘nylon manja’. Dr Vipin Itankar, District Collector, directed the authorities concerned to book the persons possessing the banned ‘nylon manja’.

Task forces have been constituted for Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), municipal council, and rural areas of Nagpur district to initiate action against sale and use of ‘nylon manja’. The District Collector asked the officials to register offence against persons found in possession of ‘nylon manja’ and take stringent action. Dr Itankar also asked the Police Department to activate check-posts to curb the inflow of ‘nylon manja’ from neighbouring States to Nagpur district. The District Collector also asked the Cyber Cell of Police Department to track if ‘nylon manja’ was being sold online. Vijaya Bankar, Resident Deputy Collector; Mumakka Sudarshan, Deputy Commissioner of Police; Ram Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner; Ravindra Katolkar, Education Officer (Secondary); Atul Pant, Deputy Collector (Municipal Administration), were present prominently in the meeting. All the Sub-Divisional Officers, Tehsildars, Chief Officers of municipal councils, Block Development Officers joined the meeting via video-conferencing from respective offices. The District Collector also appealed to the people to report use of ‘nylon manja’ on Control Room telephone number 0712-2562668 at District Collectorate or on toll-free number 1077, or at the nearest Zone Office of NMC or respective municipal council, Nagar Panchayat, Tehsil Office, or Panchayat Samiti office. Dr Itankar said that all the administrative officers should create awareness through social media against the use of‘nylon manja’ while flying kite.

He asked the officers to keep a keen watch on the areas known for kite-flying. “The students in all Government and private schools and colleges should be asked to take pledge everyday till‘Makar Sankranti’ that they will not use ‘nylon manja’ while flying kite, and also will not allow others to use the harmful thread,” he said. He appealed to the parents to pay attention to their wards and ensure that they did not use ‘nylon manja’. Parents must make their children aware that use of‘nylon manja’ might invite action, he added. Atul Pant informed in the meeting that 40 kgs of ‘nylon manja’ was seized from Katol, Mohpa, and Narkhed.

Also, he added, penal action was taken against ‘nylon manja’ at Wadi, Katol, Wanadongri, Hingna, Butibori, and Kanhan. U B Bhadule, Sub-Regional Officer of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board; M RB hiwapurkar, Field Officer; Narendra Wankhede, Police Inspector (Special Branch); Omprakash Kodhari, Police Inspector (Crime Branch); Amol Kachore, Police Inspector (Cyber Police Station); Sushil Bansod, Captain Sanjay Khandare and other officials also attended the meeting.