Surat top cop restricts kite flying timings

Surat: The city police commissioner has issued notification banning flying of kites from 6 am to 8 am in the morning and 5 pm to 7 pm in the evening. This has evoked mixed reactions from citizens. While many have welcomed the move as it would save birds from getting hurt, other kite fliers were disappointed citing past years' experience when the peak times for good wind during Uttarayan was 4 to 5 pm in the evening.
Surat police commissioner Satish Sharma told TOI said, "Anything that crosses limits becomes a hazard. This competitive kite flying where people fly kites only to cut other kites is crossing all limits. This results in large number of accidents, incidents of falling off the roof and more so it is a big environmental hazard. People should stay away from flying kites to protect the birds."
As a remedy, he said, "Kite flying should be arranged in open spaces where people come, design their kites, fly it and exhibit it to the others."
Darshan Desai of Prayas, an NGO working for the safety of birds, said, "If kite flying in morning and evening hours stop, it would reduce injuries to birds by 60-70%. More so because they can't see the threads and so get injured mostly during this time."
A class XI student Kush Pandya, an avid kite flier living in Vesu, spends full day on apartment terrace with his friends during Uttarayan. "Initially I was dejected. But, when I though a little, I felt it was right. Not flying kites for a couple of hours in the morning and evening is going to help environment and save birds. "
Mehul Bundela of Ramnagar. said, "We just get one day in year to enjoy kite flying and there is hardly any wind on Uttarayan day. Since past many years good winds start only after 4 pm. If they stop us from flying kites by 5 pm, the celebration would be ruined. I don't support kite flying ban," Bundela said.
by via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India