Prayagraj: Flying kites with chinese manjha becomes menace during lockdown

PRAYAGRAJ: At a time when the nationwide lockdown because of COVID-19 has forced common man to remain indoors, a menace, that could be seen in the sky, is troubling the power department and police alike.
Since early evening, the blue sky of the Sangam city is dotted with thousands of kites, chunk of which are being flown using Chinese manjha (the thread used for flying kites). As this manjha is made of thin metallic wire, it is causing regular tripping of power supply, especially in the old city area where there is more passion for the pastime.
Chinese manjha are the thread imported from the dragon country and uses a thin metal wire which can be used in place of traditional Indian manjha which has a layer of powdered glass and glue over a thread.
“As the wires of the chinese manjha are good conductor of electricity, when it falls over the open power line, it causes the breakers, installed at the sub-station to trip following which the power automatically shuts down but the repetitive instances could cause massive damage to the sub-station and the wire alike whose consequences have to be faced by the same area locals of which are using these manjha”, said the executive engineer of Gorge Town area of the city, Manoj Agarwal.
Moreover, it is like playing with the live wire as the one who is flying the kite with this manjha could be electrocuted, warns Agarwal.
Moreover, the menace has made the police worried too as those who are flying these kites are coming out to buy these kites and the thread, thereby flouting the lockdown norm.
“This is not acceptable as coming out to buy the kites or the manjha will land the locals in trouble and till now we have arrested 16 of such offenders and are conducting raids to see to it that the shops, which are normally in thin by-lanes, remain close”, said SP City, Brijesh Kumar Srivastava.
Besides, the police has also started appealing to the locals to refrain from flying kites by broadcasting message for the same.
For the purpose, district police have roped in the support from a local RJ, Bhumika, which could be heard from various police vans, especially in the old city area. “I have been running a programme especially for spreading the awrness against the menace and it was then that the local police reached out to me and I am rendering my service as a responsible citizen and if my voice can make some difference, I would be more than happy”, said the RJ while talking to TOI.
The menace is also causing law and order problem for the police as more than often, kids and adolescents could be seen on the roads, fighting amongst themselves for catch hold of kites.
“Last week, there was a fight in my locality wherein a loafer youth of the other locality, Amit, fought with the local boys just because they cut his kite”, said Tony, a resident of Muttiganj.