AHMEDABAD: Ahead of Makar Sankranti, the police are cracking down on illegal traders selling banned Chinese manja in Gujarat, with raids leading to five cases registered in Ahmedabad in just one day.
Despite a state ban, the dangerous manja, coated with crushed glass, continues to circulate, posing severe risks to birds, animals and humans. In 2024, Jivdaya Charitable Trust reported nearly 4,000 bird injuries in Ahmedabad, while Mumbai recorded over 1,000 in just two days. Last year, Gujarat saw 13,000 bird injuries and over 1,000 fatalities during Uttarayan.
Isanpur police arrested two men caught dyeing and coating threads with 25 kg of glass powder on public roads. In a parallel raid, Kagdapith police nabbed a woman for mixing glass powder to craft sharp cords.
Each year, thousands of birds suffer fatal injuries from entanglement in the hazardous Chinese manja.
The risks of synthetic manja aren’t limited to animals. It poses serious hazards to humans, injuring motorcyclists and children. In 2024, tragic incidents included the death of a seven-year-old boy in Madhya Pradesh, highlighting the escalating dangers of these hazardous threads. Despite the 2017 National Green Tribunal ban, the hazardous Chinese manja remains widely used across India.
Alokparna Sengupta, Managing Director of Humane Society International/India (HSI/India), warned, “This blatant disregard for the law turns a joyous festival into a death trap for birds, animals and humans. It jeopardizes public safety and highlights the need for stricter enforcement.”
Beyond harming animals, synthetic manja poses a serious environmental crisis. Non-biodegradable, it lingers in the environment for years, contributing to persistent pollution.
The Gujarat government kicked off the 10th edition of its Karuna Abhiyan on Thursday, aimed at rescuing birds injured by kite strings during Uttarayan. Starting January 10, the initiative seeks to reduce the rising toll of bird injuries each year.
Minister of Forest & Environment and Climate Change, Mulu Bera, highlighted the success of Gujarat’s ongoing efforts, saying, “In the last eight years, over 25,000 animals and birds have been rescued, with 600 veterinary doctors and more than 8,000 voluntary organizations involved. We have been running the compassion campaign since 2015.”
He further announced, “This year’s campaign, from January 10 to 20, will focus on rescuing birds injured by kite strings, with a 92% success rate in saving them. A special helpline has also been launched by the forest department.” Bera urged citizens, “We appeal to the public not to fly kites during the evening hours of Uttarayan, as this is when birds migrate.”