'Go fly a kite', says Sonam Kapoor to kids from her school 'but with plain cotton maanja and not glass-coated ones' when she sent a gift of 3000 kites and phirkis to them

On Makar Sankranti today, Sonam Kapoor will donate 3000 kites and maanja phirkis to her school in Juhu. These phirkis, bought from an Ahmedabad manufacturer, will have strings that aren't glass-coated.

In a letter she has sent to the principal of her school (Arya Vidya Mandir, Juhu), she states that she is doing this as she is part of a PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) initiative to save birds that are the most affected by the use of glass-coated kite string.

Sonam explains, "As a child, while flying a kite with my friends, I injured myself with the maanja quite seriously. So last year, when PeTA approached me with this cause, I immediately empathised with the plight of these birds.

Last year I had even written a letter to Maharashtra's Home Minister R R Patil to ban the manufacture of glass-coated maanja in the entire state as many birds die after getting entangled in them."

She decided to follow it up by sending kites and string phirkis to her school. "Although I would have loved to be there to deliver them personally, I am out of town.

As a star, I feel we have a certain responsibility towards creating awareness towards the plight of animals. We need to use public platforms to highlight causes that require attention."

A PeTA spokesperson says, "Kids love animals and would never knowingly harm birds.

By using cotton string to fly kites, students can help urge others to stay away from glass-coated maanja, that is harmful to children who handle it. We want a nationwide ban on the use of glass-coated maanja.

We will promote the use of cotton string for kite-flying and work with other animal welfare organisations in rescuing and treating birds and animals who suffer injuries related to glass-coated strings."

UNKIND CUTS

The maanja used in kite-flying competitions are often coated with finely crushed glass.

While effective at cutting an opponent's kite line, the string is deadly for birds who are wounded or killed when they get in the way of these strings.

Humans especially passersby on open vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles are also at risk. representational Pic/ bipin kokate

COSTLIER!

Glass-coated threads are more expensive than ones with cotton threads. Kite manufacturers buy 1, 000 metres of maanja at around Rs 95 and sell it for Rs 150 after including the cost of the glass coating. Wholesalers sell 20 regular paper kites for Rs 50 and retailers sell it for Rs 90-100. (All approximate figures)