Mumbai: Police bans use of nylon kite thread amid festival season

The use of "Manja," or synthetic, plastic, nylon kite threads, has been banned by the Mumbai police during Makar Sankranti from January 12 to February 10. This is to protect citizens and birds from fatal incidents, as well as the environment from plastic waste.

"Every year during the kite flying festival, injury is caused to people and birds due to pucca thread made out of plastic or similar synthetic material generally known as nylon Manja," said Vishal Thakur, DCP, Operations, Mumbai Police, in a routine order issued on Friday. These injuries frequently result in fatalities. "As a result, it is necessary to protect people and birds from the fatal effects of kite flying thread made of nylon, plastic, or synthetic thread," according to the order.

The order also stated that it is critical to prohibit the use of such nylon threads for kite flying because they frequently cause flash-overs on power lines and substations, resulting in power outages, strain on and damage to electrical assets, accidents, wildlife injuries and fatalities, and environmental damage.