HC expresses concern over use of razor-sharp thread to fly kites

A division Bench of Justice G. Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal told the Delhi government that since the government will take time for its notification, it would pass detailed directions keeping in mind the kite-flying festival this month.

The court’s remark came while it was going through the Delhi government’s draft notification which has recommended complete ban on Chinese kite strings and only allowing kite-flying with cotton thread or natural fibre “free from metallic or glass components”.

Delhi High Court on Monday asked the AAP government to come up with suggestions to prevent accidents due to use of Chinese kite string as the state government informed that it is a tough task to implement banning it before Independence Day.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation to demand immediate ban on Chinese kite string.

The petitioner had called for a ban on the manufacture, sale, use and purchase of the nylon ‘manja’, alleging it is “razor sharp” and capable of slicing through the human skin and has caused several deaths across the country.

Petitioner Zulfiqar Hussain said that earlier the victims of the synthetic thread were mostly 

birds “but now humans are also under threat”.