’Dump Chinese and buy Indian’

Kite sellers in the Capital up in arms against cheaper Chinese products flooding the markets ahead of Independence Day

'Dump Chinese and buy Indian'

Kite sellers in the Capital up in arms against cheaper Chinese products flooding the markets ahead of Independence Day

On India's 64th Independence Day, Chinese threat seems to be hovering in the sky again. Only this time, it's not the fighter planes or missiles but the made-in-China kites and strings that are claiming lives.

Enter the dragon: A kite shop at Regarpura, Karol Bagh, in New
Delhi on Thursday. PIC/Subhash Barolia

Ahead of August 15, the Capital's biggest kite bazaar-Lal Kuan in Chandni Chowk-is flooded with Chinese items. The shop owners say these items are selling like hot cakes, hijacking the market for locally-created products. These Chinese streamers, made of synthetically manufactured tear-tough paper and plastic, have fancy designs, long tails and creative shapes, such as that of birds, Bollywood actors' cut-outs and jet planes, apart from specially-made-for-the-occasion Tricolour ones.

Sharp edges
The problem is, on being stretched, the China-made string gets razor-sharp, which leads to serious eye, head, hand, and neck injuries. A senior police official said, "In 2009, we had invoked Section 144 of CrPC against those using or selling the Chinese 'manjha'. But this year, no such step has been taken."

The Chinese string is already banned at many places. Authorities in Amritsar banned its sale and use after it killed a school teacher in the area, and left more than six people injured. The cut was so deep and sharp, doctors said it seemed as if someone had slit the throat with a 'kirpan'. The Chinese string has also been banned by the Gujarat forest and environment department. Apart from the other concerns, the ministry feels it also acts as a good conductor of electricity and "can trigger blasts".

Competition
Although being marginally more expensive, the Chinese string still poses a big competition to the Indian 'manjha'. One of the main reasons why people buy them is because they can easily snap the Indian 'manjha'.
"Those who are buying and selling foreign kies are traitors. They shouldn't be doing this, at least not on such an occasion," said Usmail Khan (67), whose entire family has sold kites ever since Independence. "Humaari rozi roti ke liye kaun parvaah kare (who cares for our livelihood)," said his son Maqbool (21).

In Delhi, buyers, however, feel there's no reason to issue a ban. "Chinese kites are cooler, bigger, cheaper and easier to fly. If safety is a concern, parents must take responsibility. Isn't the glass-laced maanjha as dangerous? There has never been a ban on it," said 19-year-old Karan Singh, a DU student.

BSES issues advisory
Dangers to the electricity system: The 'manjha' used to fly kites contains metallic substances and in some cases, is made of thin metallic wire. When this metal-coated 'manjha' comes in contact with a live overhead wire, it causes trippings, resulting in blackout of the area fed by the affected line-a phenomenon witnessed every year. Risk to life: Not only the electrical equipment gets affected, the risk to life is a bigger danger of reckless kite flying. Moreover, if the entangled 'manhja' happens to be metal coated, it can lead to electrocution of the 'kite-flyer'.