Pune: PETA protest against the use of glass-coated kite strings

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal rights organisation, protested against the use of glass-coated kite strings on Friday (Manja). The protest was held near the Westside store on Ferguson Road. PETA activists dressed up as birds harmed by kite strings and warned that such strings may harm humans as well as birds.

The protest comes just a day before Makar Sankranti, a celebration in which many people fly kites made of sharp nylon or cotton strings coated with glass. These strings have been known to become trapped in electric wires, producing short circuits or trapping birds, causing injuries. Humans are also at risk from stray kite strings. Many individuals have died in the city as a result of injuries caused by these strings. A manja lacerated a man's throat while he was riding his bike in Daund in December, and he died soon after.

"We are requesting people not to use sharp, glass-coated Manjas, and if you want to fly kites, do it responsibly by using cotton Manjas," said Radhika Suryavanshi, an activist from PETA India.