P&H High Court Closes PIL Against Use Of 'Chinese Dor' To Fly Kites, Notes Steps Taken By State To Curb Use & Reward Informers

Observing that the Punjab Government authorities had already initiated steps, including penalties and rewards for informers reporting incidents of death by use of banned Chinese Dor, the Punjab & Haryana High Court has disposed of the second PIL filed to curb the menace.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel noted, "it is obvious that steps have already been taken by the concerned authorities by prescribing penalty as well as announcing a reward upto Rs. 25,000/- for informer, informing about an incident of injury or death due to use of Chinese Dor."

Hence, the Court advised the petitioner the authorities and report the alleged incident of death by Chinese dor, instead of approaching the Court time and again.

If the petitioner is still aggrieved by the inaction of the authorities, he can always approach the concerned Jurisdictional Magistrate, added the bench.

The Court was hearing a second PIL filed to curb the use of fatal Chinese Dor on the basis of a news article, wherein a six-year-old child was reported to have lost his life due to said Chinese Dor.

The first plea was disposed of with the direction to the authorities to look into the grievance of the petitioner and pass a speaking order.

Hence, the Punjab Pollution Control Board took certain actions, including the following:

(a) The Director General of Police was requested to make necessary arrangements for vigorous checking/ inspection at the Inter-State Border to eliminate any possibility of entry of banned china dor into the State from neighbouring States/UTs.

(b) E-Platform sites of Business Entrepreneurs were advised to comply with the above directions of the Government of Punjab in true letter and spirit and not to indulge in sale, purchase, production, storage etc.

The Court noted that pursuant to the order, the Court had also a notice making it known to everybody that any kind of injury caused by Chinese Dor thread for kite flying would attract a penalty of Rs. 10,000, which may extend to Rs. 15,00,000. An award of Rs 25,000 was also announced to be given to the informer.

In the light of the above, the plea was disposed of.

Mr. Kanwar Pahul Singh – Petitioner in person.

Mr. Saurav Verma, Addl. Advocate General, Punjab.

Title: Kanwar Pahul Singh v. State of Punjab and others