E-Paper
Chinese string: Banned, but still flying high in Ludhiana
The Punjab police claimed to have recovered 10,269 spools of banned plastic Chinese string in 176 cases and arrested 188 accused this season in Ludhiana.
The banned ‘deadly’ plastic kite string, also known as the ‘China dor’, that has proved fatal for many lives and critically injured people as well as birds, continues to be sold in markets in blatant violation of rules despite stringent steps taken by the administration to put a check on its sale.
The Chinese string as it is called is easily available at grocery stores in densely populated areas of the city, at roadside tea stalls and at shops selling kites.
To make it easy for the buyers to access the Chinese string for purchase, local suppliers have circulated their phone numbers and are offering home delivery of the spools as well. The traders are also selling the ‘china dor’ online.
The checks imposed by the police fail to act as a deterrent as the offence is bailable and invites only a minimal fine or imprisonment up to six months.
The Punjab police claimed to have recovered 10,269 spools of banned plastic kite string in 176 cases and arrested 188 accused this season.
According to Vipan Bhatia, an animal lover, the ‘china dor’ is made in and around Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and in Madhya Pradesh, which was already banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2007.
While the string is manufactured all across the country now, it got its name as it first originated in China two decades ago.
“The main reason for the popularity of the string is that it is cheaper than the traditional cotton thread but many times stronger and can be stretched,” he said.
The plastic kite string gets entangled on trees, wires and poles which is harmful for birds, who lose their feathers and are unable to fly and eventually die.
Bhatia said that the plastic string is actually a fishing line and after making some changes, the manufacturers started selling it as kite string.
Advocate Parupkar Singh Ghumman, former president of the district bar association, said that plastic kite string is as harmful as a weapon and the police should lodge cases under section 307 of IPC (attempt to murder) against those who are selling it and using it.
Ghumman alleged that the police are hand in glove with the sellers following which the sale of the string is unabated.
“Everyone knows that the plastic kite string is harmful and that people should discourage their children from using it. Children know from where they can buy ‘China dor’, but the police are ignorant as to who is selling the banned string,” he said.
Deputy commissioner of police (Investigation) Varinder Singh Brar said that the police have broken the syndicate of banned plastic sting.
“Random shopkeepers used to buy kite string from their links and sell it secretly,” he said.
Commissioner of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that earlier the police used to lodge cases under section 188 of IPC.
To deter the menace, the police have started adding section 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) of IPC, sections 51, 39 of Wild Life Protection Act and section 15 of Environment Protection Act.
