76 manja traders, who were booked last year, scanned by the police

Nagpur: With Makar Sankranti a month away, the markets started to buzz with all kinds of colorful kites. And the clandestine trade of manufacturing and selling nylon manja, glass-covered manja, is reaching its peak despite a nationwide ban on this very dangerous substance.

It is relevant to recall that the sale of nylon coated manja and glass has been banned nationwide by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The NGT had imposed a blanket ban on nylon and glass-covered manja because of the threat it posed to humans, birds and animals. But the widespread sale and use of banned manja continues.

However, this year Nagpur Police prepared to face the manja threat with a steady hand and in a preventive act, scanned a total of 76 nylon manja traders. These traders were convicted in December 2020 and January 2021 for selling nylon manja despite a ban invoked by the state. Now the police have sent notices to these traders so that they no longer dare to resell nylon manja in the city. These advisories are part of an action plan to ban nylon manja altogether.

Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar issued an order under article 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) prohibiting the sale, storage and use of nylon manja in the city. Police took the matter seriously as Pranay Prakash Thakre, 22, a resident of Dnyaneshwar Nagar, died after the nylon manja murderer slit his throat in the area of ​​Imamwada police station on January 12. of this year. Three people also suffered serious throat injuries from nylon threads during the Makar Sankranti festival this year. As a result, Nagpur Police along with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Pollution Control Board threw their socks off nearly a month before Makar Sankranti.

According to reports, DCP (Cyber ​​Crime) Chetna Tidke has been appointed as the nodal officer to control the online sale of nylon manja in the city. The local police station offices and DCPs were invited at a meeting to conduct an intensive search for the nylon thread. “If anyone sold or used the banned thread, they would face prosecution,” CP warned. Likewise, the police are also raising awareness on the ban on the sale, use and storage of nylon thread for kites. Regular announcements will also be made using megaphones. Cops have also been tasked with keeping an eye on kite vendors and enthusiasts using or selling such nylon threads in their jurisdictions. It can be mentioned here that the NMC banned the sale and purchase of nylon manja last week.

NMC NDS Boot Action:

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS) closely monitors the manufacture and sale of nylon manja in the city. Kite and manja vendors are being researched. Five kite vendors in the Gandhibagh area were raided on Friday and 132 plastic kites were seized. A fine of Rs 1000 each was imposed on these traders. Similar measures were taken in the Satranjipura area and 90 plastic kites were seized from a store. The seller was also slapped with a fine of Rs 1000.