Lok Sabha Question No. 2760 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-17
Subject: Ban on Chinese Manjha
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Gurjeet Singh Aujla

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2760

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2025

## Ban on Chinese Manjha

## 2760.   SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the continued use and availability of banned sharp kite-flying threads/Chinese Dor/Manjha, in the State of Punjab and other parts of the country  despite  the  notification  prohibiting  their  manufacture,  sale,  storage,  supply, import and use;
- (b) the number of human deaths/accidents due to Chinese Dor/Manjha;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure strict enforcement of ban hazardous kiteflying threads and to prevent violations by manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the country including Punjab;
- (d) whether the Government has issued any specific guidelines or directives to States for promotion of eco-friendly alternatives like biodegradable cotton threads and establishment of monitoring mechanisms to prevent accidents, deaths and environmental damage, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the details of number of cases registered/penalties imposed for violations of ban during the last three years, State-wise including Punjab; and
- (f) whether  the  Government  has  any  plans  to  introduce  any  nationwide  awareness campaigns to curb this menace effectively, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (f): 18 States/ UTs have issued prohibitory orders under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animal  Act,  1960,  the  Wildlife  (Protection)  Act,  1972  and Indian  Penal  Code,  etc  to  ban  manufacturing,  sale,  storage,  purchase  and  use  of  Chinese manjha/ nylon/glass coated/synthetic thread for kite flying. 05 States/UTs have confirmed that no  manufacturing unit  is  available  in  their  respective  States  pertaining  to  Chinese  manjha/ nylon/synthetic/glass-coated thread.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  vide  letter  dated 23.02.2023  has  requested  the  Chief  Secretaries  of  the  remaining  18  States/UTs  to  take appropriate measures and issue prohibitory orders for banning the manufacture, sale, storage, purchase  and  use  of  Chinese  manjha/  nylon/synthetic/  glass-coated  thread  for  kite  flying. Further, MoEF&CC vide letter dated 23.02.2023 has also requested Central Pollution Control Board  (CPCB)  to  take  appropriate  measures  and  issue  prohibitory  orders  in  this  regard. Implementation of the directions are undertaken by respective States/UTs.

CPCB,  vide  letter  dated  27.03.2023,  issued  the  following  directions  to  all  State  Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) under Section l8 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)  Act,  1981  to  ensure  strict  enforcement  of  ban  of  use  of  Chinese  Manjha  and  to prevent violation by manufacturers:

- i. to prohibit the manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use of Chinese Manjha/nylon/ synthetic material/ glass coated thread used for kite flying;
- ii. to ensure that existing units with valid Consent to Operate (CTO) shall not manufacture or produce Chinese Manjha/nylon/synthetic/glass-coated thread for kite flying;
- iii. to ensure submission of Annual Self-declaration statement by "Synthetic fibre including rayon, tyre cord, polyester filament yarn" manufacturing units that they are supplying their  product  only  to  valid  users and  not  to  any  entity  involved  in manufacturing Chinese manjha/nylon/ synthetic material/ glass coated thread for kite flying; and
- iv. to give wide publicity about ban on manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use of Chinese  Manjha/nylon/  synthetic  material/  glass  coated  thread  used  for kite  flying through local newspaper/media etc.

Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Government of Punjab, vide notification no.  3/25/23-STE4/293  dated  05.07.2023,  has  issued  directives  under  Section  5  of  the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 regarding complete ban on the manufacture, sale, storage, purchase,  supply,  import, and use of flying threads  made from  nylon, plastic,  or  any  other synthetic material, including Chinese Manjha within the State of Punjab. The ban also extends to any synthetic kite flying thread coated with non-biodegradable substances, as well as any kite  flying  thread  that  is  sharp  or  made  sharp  by  coating  with  glass,  metal,  or  other  sharp materials.

Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), vide letter dated 24.11.2023, has written to various Departments, namely requested Police, Home Affairs, Local Government, Rural Development & Panchayat,  Personnel,  Forests  and  Wildlife  Preservation  and  Deputy  Commissioners,  to direct  the  authorised/  officials  to  ensure  the  implementation  of  the  notification  dated 05.07.2023 and to take cognizance of the violation regarding usage of Chinese Manjha, its manufacturing, sale and storage.

There is no unit in the State of Punjab manufacturing or producing Chinese Manjha/nylon/synthetic  material/glass  coated  thread  for  kite  flying.  There  are  2  industries which are manufacturing synthetic fibre including rayon, tyre cord, polyester filament yarn and all the industries have submitted Annual Self Declaration that they are supplying their product only  to  valid  users  and  not  to  any  entity  involved  in  manufacturing  Chinese  Manjha, nylon/synthetic material/glass coated thread for kite flying. CPCB directions dated 27.03.2023 and  State  Government  Notification  dated  05.07.2023  have  been  circulated  among  all  the industrial associations and micro/ small scale/ tyre cord/ polyster filament yarn manufacturing units for compliance in the State of Punjab.

Director General of Police has been requested to make necessary arrangements for vigorous checking/  inspection  at  Inter-State  border  to  eliminate  any  possibility  of  entry  of  banned Chinese Manjha in the State of Punjab from the neighbouring States.