Stray Killer Manja Threatens People’s Lives
Civic officials, however, have largely remained unresponsive
Hyderabad: Nearly two weeks after Sankranti, the menace of the banned Chinese manja continues to pose a serious threat to people across Hyderabad.
On Tuesday, a five-year-old girl died in Kukatpally when the banned nylon string slit her throat while she was travelling with her father on a two-wheeler. Hours later, a crow was found entangled in Chinese manja hanging from a tree branch at Meerpet. A resident, Kasoju Ritwik, climbed the tree and rescued the bird.
The incident came just hours after a five-year-old girl died in Kukatpally when the banned nylon string slit her throat while she was travelling with her father on a two-wheeler.
Despite repeated warnings and enforcement drives ahead of Sankranti, Chinese manja remains widespread across the city. Several neighbourhoods continue to report hanging strings caught in trees, electric poles and roadside vegetation, posing ongoing risks.
During a survey on Tuesday, DC found Chinese manja tangled in trees just a few metres away from the State Secretariat and other government offices. Strands were seen across multiple stretches, including Bahadurpur to Aram Ghar crossroads and from Ameerpet to Kukatpally.
Authorities had conducted raids on kite shops before the festival, seizing banned material. However, widespread use of Chinese manja was witnessed during Sankranti, raising questions over enforcement and post-festival cleanup.
Civic officials, however, have largely remained unresponsive. Attempts by this newspaper to contact Subhadra Devi, additional commissioner with responsibility for biodiversity, drew no response.
Prem Masicharan, a city-based cricketer, said Chinese manja got wrapped around his motorcycle wheel. “It was extremely difficult to remove. We had to burn the string to get it off,” he said.
Several NGOs have appealed to the public to safely collect and burn hanging manja whenever spotted, to prevent injuries to birds and commuters.
At the Nehru Zoological Park, curator J. Vasantha said kite strings carrying Chinese manja from neighbouring areas had become entangled in trees inside the zoo premises. “Our staff have been removing and collecting the strings from day one. Most of it has been sent to headquarters. Even in the safari area, staff are clearing the manja,” she said.