BENGALURU: Taking suo motu cognisance of the case of a 48-year-old man whose throat was slit by Chinese manja (kite string) while riding a motorcycle in Bidar on January 15, Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa asked the Chief Secretary and Director General and Inspector General of Police whether the State has implemented the directions of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) on dangerous kite string.
The SC had issued directions to ban the production, storage, import and use of Chinese manja or any thread made of nylon, plastic or any synthetic material used for kite flying.
Justice Veerappa asked them to furnish details whether any circular was issued to comply with the directions of the SC, NGT and various high courts banning manja, a glass-coated string which is risky to humans as well as birds and animals, whether any criminal cases had been registered for violations, how many had died due to manja or synthetic thread, and whether any compensation had been disbursed to the victims' families.
Stating that it is the duty of the Chief Secretary to implement the directions of the Supreme Court and NGT, the Upa Lokayukta directed the authorities to hold the organisers of kite festivals responsible for any mishaps due to manja, which is used in violation of the law.
Justice Veerappa's action came after Sanjukumar Gundappa Hosamani died after Chinese manja slit his throat in Chitaguppa taluk of Bidar district when he was on his way to bring his daughter home for Sankranti on January 15. Competitive kite flying is common during the festival.
Terming it "maladministration" on the part of officials who failed to prevent the production and use of manja, under Section 2(1) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, the Upa Lokayukta registered a suo motu case against Sub-Inspector Mahendra Kumar, Inspector Shrinivasa Allapoora, Deputy SP Madoolappaa, Tahsildar Manjunatha Panchala, and Assistant Commissioners of Bidar and Basavakalyan Mohammad Shakeela and Prakash Kudari. He directed them to submit their explanations by March 3.