Pune based Sarvajeev Mangal Pratishthan launches helpline to rescue injured birds
Pune based Sarvajeev Mangal Pratishthan launches helpline to rescue injured birds
Sale of Patang (Kite) and Manja (Kite Strings) has started due to the upcoming festival of Makar Sankranti. Many people have lost their lives and suffered serious injuries in the last few years due to Chinese and nylon manja. Manja poses a great threat to all living beings. Although the use of this manja is prohibited by law, it is still being sold secretly.
Hence, the founder president of Sarvajeev Mangal Pratishthan Dr Kalyan Gangwal has demanded that the administration should take strict action against the sellers of Chinese manja which is killing people. He has also demanded to stop the sale of Chinese manja completely. He also informed that a helpline has been started for the rescue of birds that get injured due to this manja.
Dr Gangwal said, “From the beginning of January, the rush of kite selling starts. There are different types of manja available in the market. This manja is sold in small and large shops in the city and suburbs. Most manja is made of Chinese or nylon. So, we have seen accidents happen frequently. In Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and other cities, many people lost their lives due to manja cutting their throats. Production, sale, storage, purchase and consumption of such manja is prohibited by law. If Chinese manja is found, there is a provision of imprisonment for five years and a monetary fine of Rs one lakh. However, this manja is being sold in the market due to the laxity of the government system. Therefore, the administration should take strict action against Chinese manja sellers keeping in mind the seriousness of the earlier accidents. We also demand that the National Green Tribunal must look into the matter.”
Many birds are victims of this manja along with humans. They include pigeons, crows, owls, parrots, birds and butterflies. Sarvajeev Mangal Pratishthan has been working for the past 20 years to rescue injured birds. In the last eight years, nearly 2,500 birds have been saved. This year also one ambulance, one veterinary doctor and four-five workers will carry out this rescue operation for a month.
A helpline has been started for this. Regarding injured birds, Dr Kalyan Gangwal has said that citizens can give information to either Dr Kalyan Gangwal (9823017343), Sunil Pardeshi (9823209184), Gaurav Gade (7030285520) or Rescue Wild Life (9172511100).
On the occasion of Sankranti, people go to Vetal Tekdi, Taljai Tekdi, Hanuman Tekdi and other places in the city to fly kites. Manja is often seen stuck on trees. Hence, a reward of Rs 500 will be given by the organization to those who collect and bring these manjas to us, said Dr Gangwal.
Shreyas Vange
