Unsafe flying of kites continues unabated in Millennium City

CUTTACK: There seems to be no restriction on practice of unsafe flying of kites in Millennium City. Hundreds of kites can be seen flying in the sky of the city in violation of the regulations imposed by the administration two years back.

Lack of enforcement by the administration is said to have paved the way for people especially youths and children to fly kites in public places across the city flouting the restriction. Despite ban, Chinese manja (coating of powdered glass) threads of plastic, cotton and nylon are sold. Unrestricted and unsafe kite flying has posed serious threat to human beings and birds.

As per report, the district administration in response to the direction of Orissa High Court had imposed restrictions on the use of dangerous strings and unsafe kite flying in 2016 after a minor girl died in a related mishap near Telengapentha.

The six-year-old identified as Swetalina Behera’s throat was slashed by a kite thread while she was returning home with her parents on a motorcycle. Earlier, Satyaranjan Behera died in a similar way while travelling on a two-wheeler near Khannagar.

The Orissa High Court on November 8, 2016 had directed the Commissionerate Police to maintain vigil over the sale and use of Chinese manja threads and other dangerous kites. Following the direction, all police stations in Cuttack were instructed to conduct special drives to ensure that nobody flies kites using the banned threads.

The district administration had also identified 10 places for safe flying of kites in the city. Besides, special squads were formed for enforcement to curb dangerous and unsafe kite flying on rooftops, roads and public places.

Ahead of the ‘Makar Sankranti’, though youths and children have started flying kites on the rooftops, lanes and streets, the administration is yet to conduct raids to check the unsafe practice, said Binay Samantaray of Saikh Bazaar. “The administration will start enforcement from Saturday to curb the menace and ensure safe kite flying,” said District Emergency Officer Prabodh Rout.