CHENNAI: A law student has approached the Madras High Court seeking direction to authorities to implement her suggestion to check the use of Maanja thread in the city.
Contending that the measures taken by police have failed to contain the menace effectively, R Gobika, a fourth year student of Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, came up with a suggestion to permit kite flying only in identified open spaces in the city.
Admitting the PIL, the first bench comprising Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice TS Sivagnanam impleaded the Principal Secretary, Home department, State of Tamil Nadu and directed the Commissioner of Police and Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai to place before the court precautions taken and publicity given to enforce the ban. Further, the Bench directed authorities to take necessary action on the representation made by the petitioner within two months and to file a compliance report on June 26.
In her petition, Gobika stated that despite stringent measures, the sale and use of Maanja thread could not be contained effectively resulting in regular mishaps. Claiming that law had to be applied innovatively in such cases, she submitted that on March 23, 2011 she made a representation to the authorities suggesting to identify open spaces or play grounds in each Corporation ward for kite flying.
Police personnel could be posted in the identified areas to check use of maanja thread thereby ensuring that the ban is effectively enforced, she added. However, she claimed that authorities were sitting over her representation for unreasonably long time and sought the court to direct the authorities to implement her suggestion.
