Ahmedabad: Even though Diwali is around the corner and Uttarayan on January 14 is exactly three months away, officers of the city police commissioner’s office have banned the sale and use of paper lanterns, kite strings coated with synthetic materials, and other hazardous items.

The police commissioner issued a notification banning the sale and use of these items for 60 days from October 10. The notification was issued in the name of in-charge Police Commissioner Sharad Singhal. It also prohibited a series of activities that pose risks or cause disturbances to the public. Among the banned actions are dangerously flying kites from rooftops and public roads, endangering lives, and using loudspeakers at high volumes, causing public disturbance.

Provocative messages written on kites, which could offend public sentiment, are also prohibited. Individuals flying kites on public roads to retrieve cut kites and strings, and people using long poles and metal wires that can obstruct traffic or cause accidents due to contact with telephone or electric lines, are also banned.

The notification stated that many enthusiasts use sharp, non-biodegradable Chinese kite strings, which can cause severe injuries or fatalities to humans and birds, and their use is strictly prohibited. DeshGujarat