The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday came down heavily on district administrations across the Vidarbha region for their failure to publish court-ordered public notices warning against the deadly nylon manja. This sharp synthetic string is responsible for numerous fatalities and severe injuries every year during the Makar Sankranti kite-flying season.
Court's Directive Ignored by Most Districts
The court had earlier directed all district collectors in Vidarbha to issue a public notice outlining the proposed penalties for dealing with the banned material. The notice stated that sellers of prohibited nylon manja could face a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh, while users could be penalised Rs 50,000. The purpose was to invite objections before the court finalized this penalty framework.
However, when the matter was heard on Monday, the bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode discovered that, barring Nagpur and Wardha districts, none of the other districts in the region had complied with the directive. The state's claim of having given the order adequate publicity was firmly rejected by the judges.
Frustration Over Administrative Indifference
The bench expressed sharp displeasure and frustration at what it viewed as administrative apathy towards a serious life-and-death issue. The judges orally questioned whether the district administrations lacked even minimal resources to execute the order. "Was there no money to publish the notice?" the bench asked, signaling its strong reaction to the lapse.
The court is hearing the matter after taking suo motu cognisance based on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) prompted by media reports, including those from the Times of India. The PIL highlighted tragic incidents like the deaths of 23-year-old engineering student Pranay Thakre and 22-year-old Saurabh Patankar in 2021, whose throats were slit by the sharp string.
Recurring Tragedy and Immediate Corrective Order
The court cited that despite repeated bans and warnings, cases of severe injuries and deaths caused by nylon manja recur annually. Pedestrians, two-wheeler riders, and birds continue to fall victim to the sharp synthetic thread, which can cause grievous harm.
Given the gravity of the issue, the court refused to brush aside the administrative lapse lightly. It directed immediate corrective action, ordering that the public notice be published without any further delay in prominent Marathi, Hindi, and English newspapers across cities in the region. The matter has been scheduled for its next hearing on January 8.
