Gandhinagar: As many as 9,205 birds were treated for injuries caused by kite strings during the Uttarayan festivities across Gujarat, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi has said.

Under the state government’s ‘Karuna Abhiyaan’ initiative, 8,207 birds were successfully saved by 15 January, he said.

Sanghavi, in a post on X on Thursday, said, “Under the Karuna Abhiyan, being carried out across the state, a total of 9,205 birds were treated up to 15 January 2026, out of which 8,207 birds were successfully rescued and saved.”

The government launched Karuna Abhiyaan in 2017 for care and treatment of birds and animals, especially during festivals like Uttarayan and other public celebrations.

The initiative highlights the urgent need to curb the use of Chinese manja, which continues to pose a grave threat to both local and migratory bird populations. DeshGujarat

9,205 birds treated under Karuna Abhiyan in Gujarat for Kite Flying Festival injuries: Govt https://t.co/AF7eQbzHFR ( In video: One of over 700 collection and treatment centres across Gujarat for injured birds during kite flying festival, continuous inflow of injured birds was… pic.twitter.com/9Zpzww54Lh

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) January 16, 2026