LAHORE, June 30: District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmud has ordered a complete ban on kite flying and all kinds of related business within the revenue limits of the city district for a period of three months starting from Tuesday (today).

Addressing a press conference along with Allama Iqbal Town Nazim Sardar Adil Omar, Data Ganj Bakhsh Town Nazim Khawaja Ahmed Hassan, Aziz Bhatti Town Nazim Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf and Shalimar Town Nazim Chaudhry Ashiq Dayal at the District Nazim House here on Monday evening, Mahmud said the ban was being imposed under Section 144 CR.P.C. for a period of two days from Tuesday (today). “The Home Department has agreed to extend it afterwards as I am not empowered to impose the ban for more than two days.”

He said that the ban would be applicable not only to flying of kites but also on production, storage, transportation and sale of kites and thread meant for kite flying.

He said that all those found violating the ban would be liable to imprisonment up to six months.

The punishment prescribed for dangerous kite flying under an ordinance promulgated by the Punjab Government was one and a half years imprisonment. The violators of the ban could also be penalised under the provisions of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance.

He said CDG’s Social Welfare, Labour, Revenue and Solid Waste Management officials in BS 16 and above had been authorised to take cognizance of the violation of the ban on kite flying and related business under the provisions of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance and report the same to the police for further action.

He said the CDG had already established a control room at the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) headquarters for receiving complaints with respect to flying of kites and sale, manufacture and transportation of kites and thread. Complaints could be lodged at Telephone 111 008 118.

He said that a committee headed by the Executive District Officer (Community Development) would formulate rules and regulations for making kite flying a sport. He invited public suggestions for regulating kite flying. He said that the CDG would regulate kite flying entirely on the basis of public proposals.

He said the imposition of the ban on kite flying and related business had been necessitated because flying of kites had turned into a dangerous sport posing threat to the lives of the people and public property. As many as 22 persons had lost their lives after getting their throats cut by the thread used for kite flying in the recent past. Throats of two persons had been cut during the past two days.

He said that the thread used for kite flying was not only cutting the throats of citizens on the roads but metallic wire used for the purpose was causing a revenue loss of Rs2.5 billion per annum to LESCO as a result of trippings. The losses caused due to damage to the domestic appliances as a result of frequent trippings were in addition.

He said that the Kite Flying Association and six town administrations had assured full support to the CDG.