Kite hanging from Chinese manja saved

An alert cab driver rescued a kite which was entangled in a Chinese manja (string) and hanging from a eucalyptus tree 95 feet above  the ground on Ali Asker Road since Thursday in the city, on Saturday.

Kumar is the good samaritan who gave a fresh lease of life to the bird.

On Thursday, his dog, a Siberian Husky , barked continuously at the top of a tree. He first thought it was a prank by his pet and shouted at it. However, when it did not stop barking, Kumar looked up and saw the kite whose feathers were entangled in the Chinese manja and was unable to fly.

He left for work thinking that someone would call the BBMP’s Forest Cell to rescue the kite.

On Saturday morning, Kumar was shocked to see the kite in the same position. Seeing the sad plight of the bird, he called up the local police.

Later, they informed the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

Within 15 minutes, a fire tender reached to the spot with a ladder a 45 feet high ladder. Expressing their inability to reach to the bird, the fire personnel left the place.

Again, Kumar swung into action and called the area police inspector explaining to him the condition of the bird.

Appreciating the care and concern of Kumar, the police inspector gave him the number of Director General of Police (Fire and Emergency Services) Omprakash to request him to spare the one and only sky ladder which was 200 feet high.

Without thinking twice, Omprakash asked his men to get into the rescue mission immediately.

Soon after getting the green signal, the recently-acquired sky ladder was brought to the spot. Four men stood inside the enclosure attached to the end of the ladder which was slowly taken near the bird.

Seeing the people coming towards it, the kite panicked and tried to escape.

One of the personnel held the bird in his hand. The enclousure was brought down much to the cheer of people gathered at the spot.

By then, the volunteers of the BBMP’s Forest Cell who were at the spot, collected the bird from the fire personnel and took it to their rescue centre. “The bird is totally weak as it has no had food and water for the last 72 hours. First, we will feed it and keep it under observation for a week before releasing it,” they said.

Praising the Director General of Police of the Fire and Emergency Services for his timely help, Kumar said, “The kite would have died if the department of fire and emergency services did not help. We owe a lot to Omprakash.”

Meanwhile, a forest officer, on condition of anonymity, told Express that the BBMP officials are taking their own time to ban the sale of Chinese manja which is available in market.

“I think the BBMP will wake up if the Chinese string claims life of some persons,” he stated.