The Ahmedabad Medical Association has released a set of guidelines for the Uttarayan festival, advising against the use of metal-coated, glass, and nylon strings. The guidelines also recommend flying kites in safe places to avoid electrical accidents.
The guidelines suggest using kite strings made from natural silk to reduce the risk of injuries. They caution against using metal-coated, glass-coated, or nylon wires as they can cause serious cuts and injuries.
The association advises choosing open spaces away from crowded areas, power lines, and busy streets for kite flying. It also recommends maintaining a safe distance from electrical installations to avoid electrical accidents.
The guidelines urge parents to ensure that children follow safety instructions when they fly kites. They also advise against running on the road to catch a kite and recommend wearing a muffler while driving a two-wheeler to prevent neck injuries.
It also suggest wearing long pants made of cotton to protect the skin from cuts and friction, wearing appropriate sunglasses, and using sunscreen cream. They also recommend keeping a first aid kit handy, drinking more water, and avoiding flying tukkals as they can cause fires.
It urges adherence to the government’s COVID guidelines and recommends calling 108 immediately in case of neck injuries from the string.
The guidelines come in the wake of a tragic incident in Surat, where a young woman died due to a severe neck injury caused by a kite string. The deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Dikshita Thummar. The untimely death of the young woman has brought back grief in the family.
The guidelines also caution against the use of Chinese manja, which is banned in India, but is still sold secretly. The association warns that such strings are extremely dangerous and have caused serious injuries and even deaths in some cases. This is most dangerous for bike riders.
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