Stray Killer Manja Threatens People’s Lives

Hyderabad: Nearly two weeks after Sankranti, the menace of banned Chinese manja continues to pose a serious threat to people in Hyderabad.
A five-year-old girl died after a banned nylon rope slit her throat while traveling with her father on a two-wheeler in Kukatpally on Tuesday. Hours later, a crow was found entangled in Chinese manja hanging from a tree branch in Meerpet. Kasoju Ritwik, a local resident, climbed the tree and saved the bird.
The incident took place a few hours after a five-year-old girl, traveling with her father on a two-wheeler, died after a banned nylon rope slit her throat in Kukatpally.
Despite repeated warnings and sanctions ahead of Sankranti, Chinese manja continues to be prevalent throughout the city. Many neighborhoods continue to report that ropes caught in trees, utility poles, and roadside vegetation pose ongoing risks.
During an investigation on Tuesday, the DC found Chinese manja tangled in trees just meters away from the State Secretariat and other government offices. Stripes were seen in many areas from Bahadurpur to Aram Ghar junction and from Ameerpet to Kukatpally.
Authorities raided kite shops before the festival and seized prohibited materials. However, widespread use of Chinese manja was witnessed during Sankranti, raising questions about the practice and post-festival cleanliness.
But civil authorities remained largely unresponsive. This newspaper’s attempts to contact Subhadra Devi, additional commissioner for biodiversity, yielded no response.
Prem Masicharan, a city-based cricketer, said the Chinese manja got tangled in his motorcycle wheel. “It was extremely difficult to get it out. We had to burn the rope to get it out,” he said.
Many NGOs have appealed to the public to safely collect and burn hanging manjas when detected to avoid injury to birds and passengers.
J. Vasantha, curator of Nehru Zoological Park, said kite strings carrying Chinese manja from neighboring areas were tangled in trees inside the zoo. “Our staff has been dismantling and collecting the ropes since the first day. Most of them have been sent to the center. Even in the safari area, the staff cleans the manja,” he said.




