Over 1 lakh students to pledge for birds’ safety during Uttrayan

Surat: Over one lakh students of various schools affiliated with the Gujarat State Education Board (GSEB) will take pledge on Friday to not fly kites before 9am and after 5pm Uttarayan (January 14). This is being done as part of the Karuna Abhiyan launched to create awareness on saving birds from the killer manja (glass-coated thread) used to fly kites.
A circular has been issued recently by the district education officer (DEO) H H Rajyaguru instructing schools to hold an event where students would take the pledge. The schools have also been directed to submit a form with details of participating students to the DEO office.

Students have also been asked to pledge to rescue injured birds.

Awareness about threat to human life due to the killer manja will also be created through the pledge. Every year many commuters on two-wheelers become victim of the razor-sharp threat. Some die while many suffer serious injuries. Students have also been asked to pledge not to use Chinese thread and hot air balloons. On safety during the festival, children will pledge not to touch overhead power cables or climb trees and run on roads to catch the kites.

“Schools have been asked to create awareness about safety of birds. All GSEB schools will join the imitative to ensure bird safety during Uttrayan,” said H H Rajyaguru, DEO, Surat.