LAHORE, Feb 6: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday formally approved the rules in the ordinance recently promulgated by the provincial government to regulate kite flying and its allied business in Punjab.
The rules specify the size of kites, strength of thread and type of coating (manjha) used to turn it into twine for flying kites. The ordinance prescribes a six-month imprisonment and fine up to Rs100,000 for the violation of the rules.
Use of spool (charkhi) for winding twine has strictly been banned. The rules also provide for the creation of vigilance committees by the union council nazims to keep an eye on people violating the ban on kite flying and the specifications of the sport and its allied business during the permitted days.
These committees will then report the violations to the police for legal action against the violators.
The rules allow the district government to form a single association of kite and twine manufacturers and dealers. The association, having a one-year tenure, will certify conduct of the manufacturers and dealers of kites and twine, enabling them to get registered with the district government on the basis of such certification.
The body will also keep an eye on the manufacturers and dealers and report any violation of the ordinance or the rules to the police for action.
The rules authorise union council nazims to permit kite flying during the permitted days upon applications by the interested people. A specimen of the application form for the people has also been given in the rules.
The nazim, after giving the permission, will send a copy of the application form to the police station concerned. The applicants will be required to paste their copy of the permission on their premises.
Directive: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday directed police to arrest those flying kites despite a ban on the sport and have them punished under the law.
According to a provincial government spokesman, the chief minister also directed police to recover kites and twine from those indulging in the game.
He made it clear that except for Feb 24 and 25 (the occasion of Basant), there was a ban on kite flying and no one was allowed to violate it.
Those found flying kites other than the permitted two days and with metal wire would be awarded three-year imprisonment and Rs100,000 fine.
The spokesman said those found violating the ban on kite flying would be taken to task however influential they might be.
Free antennas: Provision of antenna free of cost to motorcyclists will start on Feb 10.
The step is being taken to avert any injury or death during the two-day Basant festival when kite flying will be allowed.
The supply of antenna will start on Feb 10 and motorcycle owners can get the same from their respective union council.
DCO Muhammad Ijaz has convened a meeting of UC nazims for Wednesday (today) to set the procedure for checking twine and kites.
The DCO has also directed DO (environment) Tariq Zaman and DO Chaudhry Ishtiaq to set on fire all banned thread and chemical seized so far.
If any banned material is recovered from any shop, the traders as well as the newly formed Kite Manufacturers Association should be taken to task, he further directed.