Vadodara shops shun ‘killer’ kite thread

There are few sellers of the Chinese thread in Chokhandi, the biggest kite market of the city, in Navapura, another market in old city area, in Raopura market or near Nyay Mandir.

“I know, it has been banned by the government and stocking or selling it may land us in police net. Honestly speaking, few have demanded the thread this season since people have realised it can cause serious accidents and kill birds,” said Hanifbhai, a kite thread seller in Chokhandi.

Harshida Patel of N T Patel Store near Nayay Mandir said, “We have never dealt in the Chinese thread since it is dangerous for birds and also banned by government.”

However, a retailer in a corner of a busy area accepted he had some stock of the banned thread and that he was willing to sell at premium rates.

Environmentalists say, the Chinese thread is made of plastic and hence very strong. But this very strong proves fatal for birds which hit it or get entangled in it. There have been incidents of dangling Chinese threads causing serious injuries to motorcyclists also.

While more than 100 cases of birds getting injured or killed due to kite threads were reported in the city last Uttrayan. In Ahmedabad, according to Chief Conservator of Forest (Social

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