Get this loud and clear: Chinese, plastic threads are banned

The government put an end to the confusion among traders regarding sale of these by reiterating the ban. Since an earlier govt notification did not mention the word ‘ban’, traders were still selling the threads

DILIP PATEL AND VIPUL RAJPUT

Is there a ban on Chinese and plastic thread or not? That was the milliondollar question doing the rounds on Wednesday, more than 20 days after the forest and environment department imposed the ban. Such was the confusion that government spokesperson Jaynarayan Vyas had to intervene. “Sale of Chinese and plastic threads has been banned. There should be no confusion about this. Strict action will be taken against anyone selling it,” he told Mirror on Wednesday evening.
The manja traders, who were under the impression that there was no ban — the government notification dated December 4 never mentioned the word ‘ban’ — gave an advertisement in the vernacular papers on Wednesday stating there indeed was no prohibition in the sale and purchase of Chinese and plastic thread. To add credibility to their claim, they even mentioned the notification number ENV-10.2009-400-E in their ad.
This notification, issued by the forest and environment department, only recommended “necessary measures and actions” to ensure that plastic and Chinese thread is not used and that kite-flying is avoided between 6 and 8 am and between 5 and 7 pm. There was no mention of the word ‘ban’ or ‘prohibition’, giving traders an impression that the notification recommended only an awareness programme to sensitise kite-flyers. “We were not aware of the ban at all. The sale of Chinese manja is still on,” the trader said. The notification was forwarded to the district collectors and the municipal commissioners in the state.
A group of traders even met Principal Secretary S K Nanda few days ago to talk him into allowing the sale of Chinese and plastic twines.
They said would suffer huge losses as material worth Rs 7 crore had already been purchased by retailers like them across the state.
“They were requesting me to let them do the sale this year, promising me that the ban will be implemented from next year onwards. But there was no way one can backtrack on this. It is a question of safety and there can’t be a compromise,” Nanda said. Nanda reiterated that Chinese threads are good conductors of electricity because of polymer content. “Besides electrocution, they can trigger blasts,” he said. Plastic and Chinese thread are popular among Uttarayan revellers because these can easily snap the traditional manjha. Recently, a child succumbed to burn injuries he sustained while tugging a Chinese thread hanging from a hightension wire.

COLLECTORATE ISSUES BAN

THE DISTRICT collectorate also announced the ban loud and clear. B R Patel, district magistrate and additional collector told Mirror: “We have issued a notification stating the Chinese and plastic thread cannot be manufactured, sold or used by anyone.”
The collector’s office will pursue action against those found violating the notification in non-AMC areas like Daskroi, Sanand, Bavla, Viramgam and City taluka.
Police commissioner S K Saikia too issued a notification on Wednesday stating: “From January 8 to 31, no one should fly kites in a manner that it poses a threat to life and property. Kites should not bear graffiti that would hurt the sentiments of people. Music should not be played too loudly. Kindly refrain from running after and catching hold of cut-off kites.”