By IANS,
Mumbai : As Makar Sankranti approaches, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is urging people to forgo glass-coated manja in favour of what kite fliers have used throughout the ages – standard cotton string, a PETA official said.
“The manja used in kite-flying competitions is often coated with powdered and finely crushed glass,” the official said.
“While effective at cutting an opponent’s kite line (which could be considered foul play), glass-coated manja is deadly for thousands of pigeons, crows, owls, kites and other birds who get slashed, wounded and killed when they become entangled in the strings,” the official added.
Glass-coated manja, which can remain entangled in trees and poles for weeks following a contest, has also caused human injuries and deaths.
PETA also urged people to fly kites in an open area to prevent strings from getting entangled in wires or tree branches, and appealed them to call the local fire brigade and animal protection groups for help if birds are spotted entangled in manja.