Banned Chinese kite strings are back in Amritsar

AMRITSAR: The hazardous Chinese kite strings are back in Amritsar. Though last year a ban was imposed on these following a death and a number of people suffering injuries due to these strings however these are still being sold in the city especially the walled city. And the administration has failed to check its use even as another child was hurt recently.
Just two days ago, a three-year-old child, Kanishak was injured when he was riding pillion on a scooter being driven by his father and a stray Chinese string badly cut his face. These strings, made of synthetic material are coated with "kanch" (glass) powder and are quite sharp. The Chinese strings can be stretched extensively while a traditional string can't cut these.
Subhash Behl, president of the Amritsar Kite And Dor Association said that despite the ban, Chinese strings are selling like hot cakes in the city and "the administration has failed to check violators." The strings are not only dangerous to humans but to birds too. Deepak Babbar, president of an environment NGO, said that a large number of birds like pigeons, crows and sparrows get killed due to these strings.
Gurbaksh Singh, a kite seller in the walled city, said that Amritsar was the first place in India which imported Chinese strings, to replace the traditional 'cotton' ones. "These dangerous strings have resulted in lesser interest among localities in the exciting kite-flying competitions even on occasions like Lohri and Sankrant," he added.
"How can the same excitement be felt when there are minimal chances of cutting down a rival's kite, who might be using these strings from China. People are losing interest in kite flying, and business has almost come down to half. Above all, heavy taxes on kite paper and straw has escalated its cost by over 25%," said Dharampal Mahajan, a kite maker.
Last year, Kewal Singh, a government school lecturer had died due to a fatal cut on his neck by a stray Chinese kite string when he was riding his scooter. In another incident last year, Reema Makhini, a 20-year-old student, was taken to hospital last year bleeding profusely after she was injured by a stray Chinese kite string on a road in Amritsar.
When contacted, Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said that Chinese strings were banned in Amritsar. "A joint team formed by the district magistrate and police department is conducting regular raids to stop the menace," he said. Aggarwal added that the commissioner of police was also involved in stopping the use of Chinese strings, while adding that violators would be strictly punished.