Cuttack collector puts curbs on kite flying; bans use of manja thread

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Jan 20:

The district administration of Odisha’s Cuttack district today decided to ban use of manja (glass coated) string and plastic strings for flying kites in Cuttack city in view of the accident on Monday in which a six-year old girl died after a manja coated kite string slit her throat leading to her death. The deceased’s father too was critically injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment.

The decision to ban use of manja coated string for flying kites was taken at an important meeting held by the district collector at Collectorate here today.

It was decided at the meeting to form a special squad that will conduct raids on shops selling such threads. The collector has also ordered for curbs on flying of kites on roads and roof tops.

“We had called for a meeting of members of the civil society on that issue. All were of the opinion that the accident in which the six-year old Swetalina Behera was killed was due to the use of manja string and plastic thread. All opposed the use of these materials. We took a decision to first create awareness; ban use of  manja string and plastic thread; conduct raids to prevent its sale and use. We will also see to it that roads and roof tops are not used for flying kites,” said Nirmal Mishra, collector Cuttack briefing reporters after the meeting.

Notably, a six-year-old girl was killed after a glass-coated ‘manja’ thread slit her throat while she was travelling with her parents on a motorcycle on NH-5 near Telengapentha, under Cuttack Sadar police station on Monday.

The girl was sitting on the front of the motorcycle, while her father was driving the vehicle and mother was riding pillion.

The deceased’s father too was critically injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment.

The unfortunate incident occurred while the three were going to Cuttack on a bike. The girl’s throat sustained severe injuries because of the cut by the sharp string. The child succumbed to her injury at a private nursing home.