NMC move to ban Chinese manja

NAGPUR: Taking cognisance of the death of a 26-year-old youth and injury to 125-150 birds during recent Makar Sankranti festival in the city, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) general body passed a resolution on Wednesday demanding the state government to impose a ban on production and sale of Chinese and nylon manja. The resolution will be forwarded to the state government which is the authority to impose the ban.
Mayor Anil Sole said the government should take serious note of the resolution and impose ban before the next season. "A city youth became a victim of manja on January 14. Police department has sent a report in this regard to the NMC. Forest department had also written to the civic body requesting it to prohibit sale and purchase of Chinese/nylon manja. Legal opinion pointed out that NMC cannot take a decision to impose the ban but it can pass a resolution and demand the government to take decision," Sole said.
Group leaders of all parties including Praveen Datke, Vikas Thakre, Prakash Gajbhiye, Kishor Gajbhiye and Ganesh Pokulwar came together and mooted the proposal. The house unanimously passed the resolution. Sole directed additional municipal commissioner Hemant Kumar Pawar to send the resolution to the government.
Following initiatives taken by deputy director (health) Dr Milind Ganvir and veterinary officer Gajendra Mahalle, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) SWH Naqvi had written to the NMC, police department and chief conservator of forest (CCF) suggesting initiatives to prevent injuries to birds. "Over 125-150 birds get injured or die every year due to manja. Government agencies and citizens must protect birds. CCF should initiate action under Wildlife Conservation Act in case injury to birds are reported," he said.
Welcoming NMC's resolution, NGO iSAW's secretary Pramod Kanetkar told TOI that besides spreading awareness among citizens, it is also important to ban manja. "We have been rescuing birds entangled in manja and treating the injured ones. Yet, a large number of injured birds goes unattended. Therefore, we have been demanding a ban on Chinese and nylon manja for the last five years. Now, the government should take concrete steps in this regard. The NMC general body needs to be applauded for this move," he said.
However, NMC's senior counsel CS Kaptan has suggested that the civic body can also invoke Bombay Police Act, 1951, to curb the menace. According to Section 131 of the Act, no person shall fly a kite so as to cause danger, injury or alarm to persons, horses or property. Citing this, Kaptan said the NMC can request the police commissioner to act accordingly.