Kites go up in the air and so does nylon manja ban

PUNE: Colourful kites of various shapes and sizes dotted the sky around Taljai hill on Makar Sankranti on Tuesday, with a section of revellers openly flouting the ban on nylon manja.

When approached, the kite-flyers from the slums around Sahakarnagar initially tried to evade the questions on the kite strings (manja). However, after persistent persuasion, some children said the nylon manja was available at some shops near Padmavati Garden in the area. A section even claimed that they were using the nylon manja they had bought last year.

“People told me of manja being available at shops located behind Padmavati Garden. As for me, I did not buy the manja this year. I am using the leftover of last year’s,” one of the boys said, adding that the the police had visited the hill earlier in the day and had seized nylon manja from some kite-flyers.

As the children were busy flying their kites, a ‘Jumla Kite Festival’ was simultaneously being held at the same spot by former Congress MLC Mohan Joshi.

As a part of the festival, 40 different varieties of kites were sent soaring into the sky, festival organizers said, adding that nearly 200 kites were also distributed among the attendees. “These kites contain stickers reminding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government of their 15 jumlas (false promises) they made to the citizens,” Joshi said.

On enquiry about use of nylon manja during the festival, Joshi said, “We are in favour of the ban. We are distributing only cotton manja among the attendees.”

On the use of nylon manja by children from the surrounding slum areas, Joshi told his team to confiscate the thread and instead provide them with cotton manja.