Sale of Chinese kite thread continues despite ban

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 9

Despite a ban being imposed by the district administration on the sale of Chinese thread, the string, generally used for kite flying, is being discreetly sold in several parts of the city with a well established network of traders involved in its import from other parts of the country.

There is high demand for the thread, despite the fact that it is emerging as a major threat to birds and people alike.

Though the administration claimed that it was keeping a close watch on the shops selling kites to ensure that the banned string is not sold in the market, traders are selling it to “known customers”, who further sell the string to other people.

There is huge rush for kites in the winter capital ahead of Raksha Bandhan and District Magistrate Simrandeep Singh had recently issued a notice banning sale of strings of Chinese origin.

In contrast to the traditional strings used in India, Chinese thread is made of nylon, with a metal coating giving it extra strength and sharpness.

Several incidents of injury to people due to this string have been reported across the country. There also have been instances where birds have fallen to the sharpness of the Chinese thread.

“Commuters are most vulnerable. A slight contact with the thread while on move can cause severe injuries. In some cases, people have received grievous injuries. It is also a big threat to birds,” said Dr Sujata, who has dealt with several cases involving Chinese thread.

Traditionally, special strings are made for kite flying. It involves a thin cotton thread which is treated with a paste made of glue and finely powdered glass to make it strong.

Ahead of the festive season, hundreds of people from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh set up temporary shops on roadside, in parks and other available space and prepare thousands of meters of cotton thread used for kite flying. These people work for weeks together to provide the thread a cutting edge.

“We are losing business to Chinese dor (thread) as it is made using liquid metal. We use wax, crushed glass and pigeon droppings to make the thread strong,” said Roshan Lal from Amritsar, who visits Jammu around this time every year to sell the thread.

“Customers also demand stronger strings,” he said.

Pertinently, during the season a lot of money is spent on the kites and strings. Its sharpness can be gauged from the fact that people use bottles neck or tape to protect their fingers from the sharp thread while flying kites.

‘Patang baazi’, as kite flying is popularly known, is part of the cultural heritage of Jammu and common to old city areas of Purani Mandi, Kachi Chowni, Parade, Rehari and Karan Nagar.

However, many old timers are concerned about the falling interest in the kite flying, which has in turn affected the business.