Chines Manja sale hits the sky

•  Police intensifies the search to ensure the there is no selling of Chinese manja
•  Over 80 per cent of the manja sold is the banned Chinese manja
•  Costs between Rs 350 to 500 for a reel
•  AWCS rescues 31 birds in the last three days
•  Eurosian Griffon vulture trapped in banned manja

Hyderabad: Despite the ban, the illegal sale of Chinese manja continues unabated across the city’s kite market, situated in Begum Bazaar, Dhoolpet, and Mangalhat areas. Over 80 per cent of these markets are selling only Chinese-banned manja during the festival, right under the noses of the police and other departments.

Though the manja causes injuries and deaths to humans and birds, the demand for it continues as the kite-flying season reaches its peak. The ban on Chinese manja was declared in January 2016 under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

Even though the police intensified the search and made arrests to ensure there was no selling of Chinese manja, for the last three days, the kite-flyers were seen purchasing the manja as it is easily available in the market. The Chinese manja is made of nylon or synthetic thread and is treated with glass and metal to make it sharper.

According to traders and shopkeepers, Tangus manja is much cheaper and more durable as compared to other threads, especially cotton thread. Though it is banned, people prefer only Tangus manja.

Shekhar, a resident of Mallepally, said that several markets and temporary stalls were seen selling Chinese thread openly, and over 80 per cent of the manja sold is banned manja. “There was no other desi manja available; the people were seen buying the banned thread as it costs between Rs 350 to 500 for a reel,” he added.

However, nine people were killed during the festival. As per the reports, every year, around 20 to 25 birds die due to the Chinese manja. Animal Warrior’s Conservation Society (AWCS) has rescued 31 birds in the last three days, including blue rock pigeons, black kites, egrets, and spot-billed ducks. On Tuesday, a rare Eurosian Griffon vulture, which was not spotted for many years in Hyderabad, was trapped in a Chinese manja near the Saroor Nagar Lake.

The AWCS received an alert from some people in Saroor Nagar, following which its volunteers rushed to the spot.

This was the first time they saw a vulture trapped in a manja. The bird was rescued and shifted to the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad. The vulture had suffered a minor injury. Earlier, a pigeon was rescued by the society in Red Hills. As per the society, the pigeon was stuck in the manja for two days.