The Country Witnesses a large number of kite flyers every year on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Smiles and the feeling of joy surrounds their faces when they grab each other’s kites. While the country celebrates kites there’s one man with the name of Manoj Bhavsar who for 15 years have relentlessly worked to save its citizens and birds.
Here’s how One Man Makes Ahmedabad Kite Festival Safe
Kite flying is no less than an event in the county. From kids to aged personnel everybody loves flying kites.
But things can go really adverse when these strings from the kites go through your skin. One such thing happened with Manoj Bhavsar.
It was a cold morning in December 2006. Ahmedabad resident Manoj Bhavsar, an air-conditioner specialist, was on his two-wheeler in his office when a kite broke down. He just walked out, almost cutting his neck.
Although he wasn’t injured, just the thought of it made Bhavsar stunned.
“It was not a big deal, but I was scared. I kept thinking – what if he cuts my throat? ” Said Manoj in an interview.
The Incident that Triggered Manoj Bhavsar
Manoj Bhavsar observed a surprising tendency toward accidents during the Ahmedabad kite festival. This is how he decided to help.
In December 2008, with the start of the International Kite Festival, Uttarayan, Ahmedabad sky was once again filled with brightly colored kites. Unfortunately, it was too late for alarming statistics; 40% of the accidents that occurred during this time are said to have been caused by kite ropes.
Preeti Ben Shah was the victim of one such accident and lost his life on the spot. Manoj lost his temper when he read the news. He wanted to do something to ensure the safety of people who do not want to use safety cords in their cars.
The Solution
It was then that he considered installing safety nets over bridges to protect passengers on the road from kite ropes. “Usually, cut kites have long silage attached to them and take a long time to reach the ground. With security nets on the bridges, the downpour kite cables are closed in the midway, ”explained Manoj in an interview.
The copper cord will cut through any kite cord it comes in contact with, thus keeping passengers safe. At first, people made fun of him for putting the phone on his bicycle while driving. But all Manoj bhavsar wanted was safety. Still, his work was hard. There was almost no official support. Instead, he needed constant encouragement to allow him to continue his work. Although he enjoyed making the same copper cords for free, even for a few people who understood the importance of his precautionary measure.
It was not long enough that he built a thorough defense device using a copper wire, which would have saved the driver and passenger’s lives.
The Contribution
Since 2008, every year in Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti), Manoj Bhavsar has been leading a project called ‘Mission Safe Uttarayan’. He also volunteered for help at 108 and provided first aid for injured people and birds.
His persistence was eventually rewarded. His appeals forced Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to give him permission to tie up GI ropes to all city bridges. The AMC provides him with hydraulic trucks to fix metal wires. This further helps in preventing injuries.
According to Manoj, he has to spend about rs 2500 each bridge to do this every year. To date, Manoj has safely supervised 29 bridges across the city. He gets permission from the municipality, seeks the help of firefighters, hires hydraulics from a private company, and buys the necessary copper wires – all at his own expense. He is generous about the donations he’s been receiving lately.
Recently, he also developed a neckband that can be worn during the Uttarayan era for added safety. Manoj has developed a neckband to ensure safety while driving.
“I want everyone to be safe. Life is very precious, whether human or bird, ”said Manoj Bhavsar.
To Know more about Manoj Bhavsar follow him on Instagram and to support his movement, get connected on Instagram
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