Residents celebrate kite festival, spread message of boycotting Chinese string

Residents in large numbers on Sunday gathered at the sports ground in Baddowal on Ferozepur road to celebrate the 'Patang Festival'. Purpose of organising the festival is to encourage the use of normal thread and discourage the use of banned plastic thread, also known as 'Chinese string'.

People of all age groups participated in the festival with enthusiasm. They enjoyed kite flying together and also spread the message against the use of the plastic thread.

Rashi Aggarwal, a BJP leader who also went to celebrate the festival, said two precious lives were lost due to banned string in January this year. A 15-year-old boy, Taranjot, from Samrala and Sarabjit Kaur from Dakha lost their lives after plastic thread slit their throat in separate incidents. Many people had also suffered serious injuries due to the banned string and strict laws needed to eradicate the menace.

"We should take a pledge to boycott the use of the deadly string so that not only human lives but also the birds can be saved from it. I also urge the government and the police to implement strict measures to check the sale and purchase of the banned string," she said.

Rakesh Bajaj, one of the organisers of the festival, said hundreds of people who took part in the celebrations vowed that they would not use the synthetic thread to fly kites. They also vowed to spread the message of risk involved in using the banned string.

Bhushan Gora while flying s kite said he, along with his children and other family members, came to fly kites. They all had fun together. He asserted that such festivals should be organised more often at various places in the state so that people can boycott the use of the deadly string.