Set up STF to enforce manja ban, says HC

The Bombay High Court criticized Maharashtra's inadequate efforts to ban nylon manja, ordering a Special Task Force and compensation for victims.

MUMBAI: The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High court has expressed its strong dissatisfaction with the state government’s “episodic and ritualistic” approach towards banning nylon manja, a kite-flying thread.

Set up STF to enforce manja ban, says HC

Directing the constitution of a state-level Special Task Force (STF) to curb its manufacture, sale and online marketing, the court had directed the Maharashtra government to pay ₹2 lakh each as interim compensation to three victims injured due to the hazardous kite string.

A division bench of Justices Vibha Kankanwadi and Hiten S Venegavkar on January 9 was addressing a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pending since 2020, concerning the continuing menace posed by the manufacture, sale and use of nylon manja.

“Whenever a serious incident is reported in the media or the matter is listed before the court, assurances are tendered, raids are conducted and so-called special drives are undertaken. Once the immediate spotlight fades, enforcement recedes into inertia. Such an approach is episodic, reactive, and ritualistic, and wholly inconsistent with the constitutional obligations of the state,” the bench observed.

Highlighting the “continued failure of governance”, the court said that the danger posed by nylon manja is not confined to human beings alone, but it results in horrific injuries and deaths of birds and other living creatures.

Noting the incidents placed on record before the court, including the grievous neck injury caused to a minor child requiring 20 stitches and the injury caused to a motorcyclist, the court said it cannot be dismissed as isolated occurrences.

It underlined the absence of any serious attempt to dismantle the illegal supply chain of the manja.

The court directed the director general of police to constitute a dedicated, state-level Special Task Force to exclusively deal with offences relating to the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale, online marketing and use of nylon manja.

The court also ordered municipal corporations and local authorities to conduct continuous inspections of shops, godowns and markets and cancel the licences and prosecute the persons concerned, in case of violations.