Cuttack, Dec. 4: Police will shortly launch a massive crackdown to put a check on the use and sale of Chinese manja (coating of powdered glass) threads of plastic, cotton and nylon used to fly kites in the city.

According to an order issued by deputy commissioner of police Sanjeev Arora, manja threads have been banned while their storage, procurement and sale are now completely prohibited in the city. Senior officials will conduct raids on godowns, shops and other kiosks selling manja threads across the city.

A police official said a notification would shortly be issued as to what alternatives might be used while flying kites.

The move comes after Orissa High Court, on November 8, directed the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police to maintain vigil over the sale of Chinese manja threads and other manja dangerous to human beings, animals and birds. "We have instructed the officers of all police stations in Cuttack to conduct special drives to ensure that nobody is allowed to fly kites using the banned threads that pose a risk to the lives of people as well as animals," said Arora.

He said the police had also decided to launch a special drive against kite-flying in public places within the city limits.

"A fine ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 500 will be imposed on violators while in case of necessity, cognisable cases may be registered to discourage kite-flying in public places by using manja on cotton, nylon or plastic threads," Arora said.

The police said people would only be allowed to fly kites at places preferably near embankments as well as fields and other open spaces, which will be shortly identified within the limits of various police stations.

The process of creating awareness among the public will be launched in an intensified manner with assistance from various voluntary groups.

Earlier, the district administration had imposed restrictions on the use of dangerous strings after a minor girl died in a mishap near Telengapentha on January 18. Six-year-old Swetalina Behera's throat was slashed by a kite thread while she was returning home with her parents on a motorcycle on the national highway.

On January 4 last year, one Satyaranjan Behera also died in a similar way while travelling on a two-wheeler near Khannagar.

"The police decision to ban the killer threads will elicit positive response as people will now fear to use the banned material for flying kites," said Mahanadi Vihar resident Ramesh Patnaik, adding that the police as well as the district administration should also come up with a notification about the type of threads to be used for flying kites - which has always been a favourite outdoor hobby of the people in Cuttack.

"Earlier, people used to fly kites for almost three months starting from November. But these days, it is only on the occasion of Makarsankranti (January 14) that people fly kites in large numbers in Cuttack," said Buxi Bazaar resident Pranakrushna Das.

Das said the total ban on manja threads would be helpful in saving lives and the administration should immediately notify the identified places where they could fly kites with the children.