No more Kai po che? Manja banned in Maharashtra

Ahead of Sankranti festival, Maharashtra government has banned the use of `manja' (kite string, mostly made of nylon these days) which is known to cause injuries to birds and even people. State environment department has issued a directive banning the manja.

In 2015, after receiving an appeal from the animal rights group PETA, the Animal Welfare Board of India had urged the states and union territories to ban manja. Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had sent letters urging the states and UTs to impose a ban.

The state government has now banned not only the use of manja string but also prohibited its storage, stated a release from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board on Saturday. "The Maharashtra government has taken the decision under section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The manja or pucca threads have been causing serious injuries to people and birds. It has created problems like injuries to birds and animals, (causing) electricity equipment developing some problems, road accidents and loss of life in some cases. Hence, the state has decided to ban its use and storage," it said.