No religion tells us to kill people, nylon manja is dangerous: Arvind Kumar Raturi

Activists campaigning against nylon manja have a clear stance — it kills people. Passionate kite flyers have a practical quandary — nylon manja is the strongest and ideal for kite-flying. To know both sides of the argument, TOI speaks to anti-Chinese manja activist Arvind Kumar Raturi and a passionate kite flyer Rupesh Chaware
Q. When did Chinese manja enter Indian markets?

A. It came around 2008 from China and Taiwan and, in the same year, it witnessed a large-scale sale in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Punjab. In the following years, Chinese manja overpowered the Indian market as its demand grew at a fast pace.

Q. Why did kite flyers plump for Chinese manja?

A. Earlier, people would use the traditional cotton tone thread which was easily breakable. Chinese manja, made of nylon and being as sharp as a razor blade, soon ensured an exit of the traditional manja from the markets. Kite-flying in India is more than a festivity; it is a serious competition and with its high tensile strength, Chinese manja served as a perfect weapon in the battle of egos.

Q. Are we still importing Chinese manja?

A. No. Its demand was so high that in the last three-four years, the manja started getting manufactured in India at places like Bareilly, Delhi, Noida, Paharganj, Chandigarh, Bengaluru and other places.

Q. Do you think a blanket ban on Chinese manja is justified?

A. Absolutely. It should have been banned long ago before it started killing people. In the last ten years, I have witnessed at least nine human deaths in the city due to nylon manja. In Maharashtra, the deadly thread has killed and severely injured over 500 people and animals. Despite this, people continue to buy it just to give them the competitive edge. What they forget is that no religion tells us to kill people in the name of festivities.

Q. Which is the worst accident that you have witnessed?

A. There were two gruesome accidents in the city which I can never forget. The first death due to nylon manja happened soon after it was introduced in the local markets in 2008. A 13-year-old boy was driving a two-wheeler in Wardhaman Nagar when his neck got entangled in a stray Chinese manja hanging mid-air. Even though it is very sharp, it doesn’t cause much pain initially; many victims said that the sensation was like an ant bite. The cut in this boy’s neck was so deep that he soon started bleeding profusely. By the time we reached the spot, there was a pool of blood on the road and the doctors could not save him. The second accident took place in 2016 when 26-year-old Rahul Nagpure died in a similar manner while he was riding his motorcycle at Aashirwad Nagar. Though he was wearing a helmet, the nylon manja was so strong that it glided to his neck.

Q. Do you think the glass-coated cotton threads, which are now being sold in the markets, are safer?

A. No, in fact they are as dangerous as nylon manja. The trend of coating threads with glass began when the prices of Chinese manja went up due to high demand. Manufacturers then found a cheaper alternative of coating cotton threads with glass and harmful chemicals and metals to make it sharp. Many people have got severely injured from this type of manja too.

Q. Do you think the authorities have taken appropriate action? What more needs to be done?

A. Bringing a ban is easy but implementing it is difficult. The business of Chinese manja has now gone underground and the authorities need to break the nexus of manufacturers, stockists and sellers. Illegal consignments continue to be transported and to stop this, vehicles should be checked at entry points. Also, sellers should be booked under strong sections of Indian Penal Code rather than just Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Licences of such sellers should be permanently cancelled.