PUNE: To save and rescue people and animals injured due to Chinese manja (kite string), city-based NGO Sarv Jeev Mangal Pratishthan, under its Vidya Praman Rescue Mission, will provide an ambulance and two veterinary doctors with seven volunteers. Considering a few incidents of deaths and serious injuries that take place due to the use of nylon and synthetic (China) manja during Makar Sankranti, the NGO has initiated the mission.

Under the rescue operation, the team will save and rescue people and animals by reaching the spot. This mission will commence from January 15 and will go on till January 31, 2020.

Dr Kalyan Gangwal, President of NGO Sarv Jeev Mangal Pratishthan, said, “For the past 17 years, our team has been taking initiative to ban this manja and take action against such vendors. In the past few years, many people have lost their lives and also got injured due to Chinese manja. In 2017, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a blanket ban on nylon and synthetic manja as it posed a serious threat to humans and animals. However, many small vendors in the city are still selling it openly, which is why several people and birds are losing their lives.” he said. 

“Therefore, we started this rescue operation which will have an ambulance with two doctors and volunteers and will be available 24X7.”

He said 11 years ago, the production and selling of synthetic manja started in China. Till now, around 2,000 people have been killed due to it.