Telangana government permits flying of kites with cotton thread

Hyderabad: The state government has issued an order prohibiting the manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use of synthetic manja, nylon thread and all similar synthetic threads used to fly kites during Sankranti.

The order sent to collectors and the tourism department said flying of kites in the state would be permitted only using cotton thread or natural fibre free from any metallic or glass components.

According to the GO, violators will be liable for imprisonment of up to five years or can be fined Rs 1 lakh or both under the Section 15 of Environment Protection Act, 1986. Meanwhile, the Commissioner’s Task Force, West Zone, conducted raids at the Baba Kites outlet near Rasoolpura community hall in Begumpet and apprehended two men for illegally procuring, stocking and selling banned Chinese manja. Officials seized materials with the market value of '1.6 lakh from their possession. 

The arrested were identified as Mohd Akbar Ali, 40, and Mohd Mujaffar Ali alias Baba, 44. They were running the shop 15 years. They had started selling banned Chinese manja, DCP, Commissioner’s Task Force, P. Radhakrishna Rao. 

He said the duo was aware it was illegal but purchased it from an agent from Macharia of Kanpur district in UP, Mr Rao said.