Amritsar: Ban on plastic kite flying string goes up in smoke

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Amritsar, January 4

Despite ban imposed by the district administration and seizure of plastic kite flying string by the police, the killer thread is making its way into the hands of the kite flyers. The fact that the banned string caused numerous accidents has failed to deter kite flyers from using it.

The popularity of the plastic string is so much that over the years it has pushed traditional kite thread makers out of the seasonal business. Over a decade ago, thread makers polishing kite strings on roadsides was a common sight. At present, hardly any such place of traditional thread makers can be spotted in the entire city.

Sunil Kumar, a local resident, who received a cut on his face while riding a bike a few days ago said, “Luckily the plastic thread got entangled with the side mirror of my bike and it broke. If the thread had come into contact with my face, I could have been injured seriously.” The plastic thread has become popular among kite flyers as it does not break easily. However, it is lethal for humans and birds.

Over the past few years, several persons lost their lives after they were grievously injured by the plastic thread. While the administration has imposed a ban on the sale and use of the plastic string, residents are still not serious about not to use it.

A senior citizen Joginder Singh said, “Parents must not allow their children to use plastic thread for flying kites. The children need to be sensitised about the safety of others.” He said perhaps people were waiting for the police to register cases against kite flyers who used plastic thread.