HC seeks govt reply on steps to check Chinese manjha use

Lucknow: A Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Monday took a stern view of the sale, purchase and use of Chinese manjha — nylon and lead-coated kite strings — despite a ban on it and sought govt reply on what plan has it devised to check its use.

Govt counsel told the court that it was in the process of framing a law to prohibit such manjha and that a six-member committee has already been constituted for the purpose.

At this, the court directed the secretaries or officers above the rank of secretary of the home and environment departments to remain present through video conferencing on the next hearing on July 13.

The order was passed by a bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla while hearing a PIL.

During the hearing, central govt counsel Rajkumar Singh informed the court that the use of lead-coated and nylon manjha had already been banned by the National Green Tribunal.

The bench observed that merely imposing a ban was not enough and that it was also the responsibility of state govt to ensure compliance and investigate places where such manjha was being manufactured and sold.

Meanwhile, Lucknow’s kite association filed an intervention application alleging that police and other authorities were harassing its members in the name of action against Chinese manjha. The court said members of the association should cooperate in efforts to curb the banned strings and asked govt to ensure that no one is harassed.