SPARROWS FALL PREY TO MANJA, MONTH AFTER SANKRANTI DEATHS.

[Based on a news item written by Syed Akbar, published in The Times of India, p. 6, dated 15th February, 2018 (Thursday)]
The Chinese manja for flying kites had killed or maimed scores of birds in Hyderabad during Sankranti, the festival of harvest and kites, and even after a month, the Chinese manja continues to take a toll on birds, particularly sparrows. The Chinese manja is made of synthetic material and does not bio-degrade unlike the cotton manja. The cotton manja are available in the market, but they are more expensive as compared to the 'Chinese' one. A sparrow fell prey to the Chinese manja at West Maredpally in the city on 14th February, 2018 (Wednesday). The dead bird was found hanging by the nylon thread used for Chinese manja. Another sparrow lost life after its tiny legs got entangled in the Chinese manja.
Rama Menon, city coordinator of Nature Forever Scoiety, said the devastation caused by Chinese manja continues unabated in Hyderabad. "A sparrow which lives in my balcony brought the manja to make a comfortable nest for its babies, not knowing the deadly nature of the manja", she said, adding that bird had died. "It is clearly an avoidable tragedy. Despite ban, the sale and use of Chinese manja continues", Rama Menon told Times of India, urging authorities to implement the ban effectively by conducting raids at wholesale and retail outlets. As per the court directive, selling, storing or use of Chinese and glass coated manja is banned across the country. 
Over the years, sparrows have fallen victim to pollution and change in the lifestyle in urban areas. The birds, which had become habituated to living among humans for thousands of years, were forced to migrate to villages and forests. The few that are now left in Hyderabad and other urban areas are dying of Chinese manja even a month after the festival. While forest authorities and anti-poaching squad conduct checks, the manja menace is supposed to be dealt with under The Environment Protection Act.
-Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy-
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