Beware! Glass-coated manjha claiming lives

Tribune News Service

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Jalandhar, February 3

A group of volunteers of a local NGO displayed banners to highlight the danger of the Chinese string and the degree of harm it causes to birds and human beings at Guru Mission Chowk and Model Town market recently.

Yuvi Singh, founder of Animal Protection Foundation, and its volunteers said: “Many precious lives have been lost by the use of the string. There is a government ruling that bans the use of this string, but still it is being sold openly. Children must be persuaded not to use it. Parents must play a bigger role to educate their children on its harmful effects. Many lives have been lost and in some cases the sole breadwinner, leaving the family in poverty and distress.”

While the foundation, around Diwali, had rescued a dog and her pup from an open manhole at the Civil Hospital, members said Chinese string had been a silent killer for long claiming both innocent wildlife and human lives. Local, migratory and wild birds had been found stranded or wounded grievously due to the Chinese strings many times. It has been cutting short the flight of winged visitors, sometimes many exotic ones, for long.

The campaign was supported by the Model Town Shopkeepers’ Association, Fire Brigade and the traffic police. The NGO members said they would continue to conduct more such campaigns in future. The NGO appealed to the public to stop the use of Chinese string and help in the endeavour to save birds and human lives.