Campaign launched for ban on Chinese manja

Nature Forever Society (NFS), an organization that works for the conservation of House Sparrows and other common flora and fauna since the past 7 years, has launched a campaign against the use of Chinese manja that has claimed the lives of several children, and birds in recent years.

“Every year, the approach of Makar Sankranti (Harvest Festival) is a cause of concern for many bird conservationists, environmentalists and nature lovers. While reports of children deaths due to slitting of their necks across the country are heard, thousands of bird murders often go unreported,” a press release from NFS pointed out.

Chinese manja is made of glass nylon yarn with an abrasive coat of crushed glass

NFS said that in 2011, in Ahmedabad, the Uttarayan festival (annual Kite Festival of Gujrat) had claimed eight lives, despite a 2009 ban on the use of Chinese manja for kite-flying.

“Chinese manja is made of glass nylon yarn with an abrasive coat of crushed glass that makes it razor sharp and life-threatening. In addition, it is non-biodegradable and shows semi-conductor behavior that further increases the chances of accidents, many of which are often unaccounted for,” NFS stated.

Its ban in Chennai, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Ludhiana has remained ineffective.

NFS said it plans to approach the authorities at Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Ministry of Environment & Forests and Forest Departments across states to take necessary action against the illegal buying/selling of Chinese manja.

They plan to submit a petition to Veerappa Moily, Environment and Forest Minister of India and have invited individuals and organizations to sign an online petition at http://chn.ge/1klClqz) to register their support for the cause. – TWL Bureau