An advisory issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has called upon States and Union Territories, including the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, to amend relevant notifications under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to ensure a complete prohibition on the manufacture, sale and use of harmful sharp threads, commonly referred to as Manjha, used in kite flying. The advisory seeks to restrict kite flying to the use of plain cotton thread, excluding nylon, synthetic, glass-coated, metal-coated and other sharp or gummed varieties.
The AWBI, a statutory body under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, has linked the advisory to earlier directives and legal positions on the issue. These include a National Green Tribunal judgment dated July 11, 2017, directing a total ban on synthetic and non-biodegradable Manjha threads, as well as previous communications from the AWBI in 2013 and 2016 and a communication from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2014. The current advisory reiterates the need for alignment with these directions.
Authorities have highlighted the risks posed by such threads to wildlife, particularly birds. Species such as pigeons, crows, owls, kites and vultures are vulnerable to severe injuries or death when they become entangled in sharp or coated Manjha. The advisory also points to dangers to humans, including incidents involving motorbike riders who have suffered throat injuries, as well as electrocution risks arising from disruption of power lines and other accidents linked to the use of these materials.
The use of harmful Manjha threads has been described as inconsistent with provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Reference has also been made to the constitutional duty under Article 51A(g), which calls upon citizens to protect the environment and show compassion for living creatures. The advisory frames the restriction as part of a broader legal and ethical responsibility.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has endorsed the advisory and appealed to residents, kite flyers, vendors and event organisers across the Islands to comply with it. The emphasis is on refraining from the sale and use of sharp or coated threads and limiting kite flying to plain cotton thread. Citizens have also been asked to report violations to local authorities, police or animal welfare officers.
Kite flying is associated with festive occasions in several parts of the country, but authorities note that the use of hazardous threads can turn recreational activity into a source of injury and ecological harm. By pressing for amendments under environmental law, the advisory seeks to strengthen enforceability and close gaps that may allow continued circulation of banned materials.
The measure is positioned as supporting animal welfare, wildlife conservation, environmental sustainability and public safety. In areas with overhead power infrastructure and active bird populations, the risks associated with sharp Manjha are considered particularly significant. The advisory underscores preventive action rather than post-incident response.
With the endorsement of the local administration, the focus now shifts to compliance at the level of users and sellers. Authorities view public cooperation as central to reducing injuries to birds and humans and to ensuring that recreational practices do not conflict with legal safeguards and environmental considerations.
