Najeeb Jung, AAP battle over kite string notification

Government bans sale, production of Chinese manja.

The death of two children and a youth in separate incidents of stray kites slitting their necks on Independence Day kicked off a blame game between lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung and the AAP government. While the AAP government on Tuesday issued a draft notification banning sale, production and storage of metal-coated kite thread, or Chinese manja, in the city, Mr Jung’s office said that the Delhi government delayed issuing the notification.

The L-G office said that Mr Jung had approved the draft notification on Augu-st 8 and sent it back to the government the next day. Soon after, deputy CM Manish Sisodia alleged that environment secretary Chandraker Bharti took seven days to issue the notification, even as the file was cleared by him and environment minister Imran Husain within minutes after it was cleared by the L-G office. Mr Sisodia said that “he is asking the L-G to take action against the environment secretary for his gross negligence”.

“Writing to L-G requesting him to action against Environment Secretary for gross negligence in duty & insensitiveness in Chinese manja case. Environment Secretary took 7days to issue notification though file was cleared by my & Env Minster’s office within minutes on 9th Aug. Chinese manja and other kite flying thread which is made of glass, sharp material is dangerous. Safety of our citizens is non-negotiable,” the deputy chief minister tweeted.

According to the notification, kite-flying will be permissible only with a cotton thread and natural fibre free from any metallic and glass components. The violation of directions will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to five years or fine which may be extended to '1 lakh or with both.

The environment department of the Delhi government has sought public suggestions and objections on its draft notification, asking them to file the same within 60 days and thereafter, a final notification will be issued.

“There shall be complete ban on the sale, production, storage, supply and use of nylon, plastic and Chinese manja and any other kite-flying thread that is sharp or made sharp such as by being laced with glass, metal or other sharp objec-ts in National Capital Terr-itory,” the notification stated.

On August 11, the Delhi HC had asked the AAP government and the civic bodies to issue advisory ahead of Independence Day making the public aware of fatal effect of the use of razor sharp kite-flying threads.