Sir — The kite festival of Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) is regarded as one of the biggest festivals celebrated in the western India. It marks the transition of the sun into the zodiacal sign of Makara (Capricorn) on its celestial path. The day is also believed to mark the arrival of Spring in many parts of India. The tradition of kite-flying is said to have started among royalty and nobility which over the years gained popular appeal.
Kites flown are known to use a strong, special string (known as manjha) which is made by applying glass powder on it to provide it a cutting edge. This practice of using an abrasive thread especially for kite-fighting poses a great threat to birds and even humans. The impact on birds, however, is much larger. Birds, when in flight, fail to notice the fine glass-coated thread, get entangled in it, and injure themselves causing fractures, mutilation of wings and nerve injuries. At times, the minute glass pieces used on the manjha get embedded in their bodies adding to their painful misery and eventual death. Additionally, this string does not lose its strength even after getting wet creating potential threat for the birds both local and migratory. With more kites competing for space with birds, the number of avian injuries has risen exponentially over the years.