Drones to be used to check kite flying

Rawalpindi: The local administration has decided to deploy dozens of police officials in the city and cantonment board localities to monitor violations of kite-flying ban with video cameras and drones and has decided to register FIRs against owners of houses, plazas where kite lovers would fly kites.

The ‘Basant’ festival is being celebrated in cantonment localities today (Friday) while kite lovers of city areas will celebrate the festival next Friday. The City Police Officer (CPO), Rawalpindi Ahsen Younas has deployed dozens of police officials on the rooftops of houses and buildings here at cantonment board and city areas.

The Punjab government has imposed a complete ban on ‘Basant’ festival besides ordering authorities to strictly implement the regulations of the prohibition of the kite flying act. The City Police Officer (CPO), Rawalpindi Officials spokesman told ‘The News’ that we are monitoring kite flyers through video cameras and drones and registering FIRs against owners of houses and plazas where violators would flying kites. We can easily trace the location and place through video cameras and drones, he said. Affected people could also call on 15 to complaint against kite flyers and doing aerial firing, he said.

In 2007, the Supreme Court had imposed a ban on ‘Basant’ celebrations after the deaths of scores of people due to glass-coated strings used in flying kites.