Hyderabad: Mobile squads formed to enforce 'killer' manja ban

Hyderabad: The department is creating awareness among public on the ill-effects of using the nylon manja during the Sankranti festival.

Officials said that the department has constituted mobile squads to check the sale and purchase of synthetic manja in Greater Hyderabad limits, and similar teams were also formed in districts with local district forest officers heading the teams to implement the ban orders.

Posters have been brought out in English, Telugu and Urdu languages, requesting shopkeepers not to sell or purchase nylon manja and also create awareness among people. Forest officials claimed the sale and use of banned manja had gradually come down due to sustained efforts in implementing the ban since 2016. Adding that more awareness among sellers and buyers required, the officials said that the Forest department with the help of NGOs and volunteers was ensuring display of posters in shops to create awareness about the harm caused by the banned manja on animals, birds, humans and environment during the kite festival.