Delhi govt bans Chinese manja

A day after kite strings claimed three lives in the national capital, the Delhi government on Tuesday imposed a ban on the sale, production and storage of glass-coated threads or Chinese manja even as a blame game erupted with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claiming the environment secretary took seven days to clear a notification.

According to the draft notification issued by Environment Secretary Chandraker Bharti, kite flying will be permissible only with a cotton thread and natural fibre free from any metallic and glass components.

Violation of directions will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to five years or fine which may be extended to Rs 1 lakh or with both. However, sources in the LG office said the Lt Governor had approved the draft notification on August 8 and sent it back to the government the next day.

The AAP government delayed issuance of the draft notification despite the fact that the LG office had sent the notification with his approval to Environment Department on August 9, they said, adding that notification may not make a good impact as the flying kite season is almost over with the wrapping up of Independence Day celebrations.

Sisodia said he was writing to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung seeking action against the Environment Secretary for “gross negligence in duty and insensitiveness in Chinese manja case”.

3-year-old killed

On Sunday, three-year-old Saanchi Goyal, who was returning with her parents after watching a movie, was killed after a stray kite string slashed her neck in Rani Bagh area when she was looking out of open sunroof in their car.

A four-and-a-half-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man also died after their necks got slit while a Delhi Police sub- inspector was injured in such incidents.