High Court Demands Action Against Chinese Manja in Uttar Pradesh

Concerns Over Chinese Manja

Incidents related to Chinese manja continue to occur frequently, leading to several fatalities due to neck injuries. The Allahabad High Court is currently hearing a case concerning this issue. The Lucknow bench of the High Court has taken a firm stance on the sale, purchase, and use of Chinese manja, seeking clarity from the Uttar Pradesh government on the concrete measures being implemented to prevent its availability in the market.

Government's Response to the Court

During the hearing on Monday, the state government informed the High Court that it is in the process of drafting legislation to ban such manja and has already formed a six-member committee for this purpose.

Next Hearing to Include Secretaries

In response, the bench comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjeev Shukla instructed the secretaries of the Home and Environment departments, or higher officials, to attend the next hearing via video conferencing. This directive was issued during the hearing of a public interest petition filed by local lawyer M.L. Yadav.

Government's Previous Actions

During the proceedings, the central government's lawyer, Rajkumar Singh, informed the High Court that the National Green Tribunal has already imposed a ban on the use of lead-coated and nylon manja.

High Court's Call for Cooperation

The bench remarked that merely imposing a ban on manja is insufficient, emphasizing that it is also the state's responsibility to ensure effective compliance with the ban and to inspect locations where such manja is manufactured and sold.

Meanwhile, the local kite association filed an intervention petition, alleging that police and other officials were harassing its members under the pretext of enforcing the ban on Chinese manja. The High Court commented that association members should also assist in efforts to curb the use of banned kite strings, while directing the government to ensure that no one is unnecessarily harassed.