Mumbai Police said in a tweet that glass-coated threads can cause harm to birds, animals and human and urged people to use cotton threads to fly kites on Makar Sankranti. Nylon threads have been banned.
The use of Manja, or synthetic, plastic, nylon kite threads, has been banned by the Mumbai police during Makar Sankranti from January 12 to February 10. This is to protect citizens and birds from fatal incidents, as well as the environment from plastic waste.
Every year during the kite flying festival, injury is caused to people and birds due to pucca thread made out of plastic or similar synthetic material generally known as nylon Manja, said Vishal Thakur, DCP, Operations, Mumbai Police, in a routine order issued.